reinstate

R1E1I1N1S1T1A1T1E1
UK/ɹiː.ɪnˈsteɪt/

verb

To restore to a former position or rank.

Less commonScrabble 9

Meanings

verbreinstate (third-person singular simple present reinstates, present participle reinstating, simple past and past participle reinstated)

present singular third person reinstates · participle present reinstating · participle past reinstated · past reinstated

  1. transitiveTo restore to a former position or rank.

    Of these nine days, six will be needed for jacking. The remainder of the time will be given over to removing and then reinstating track and overhead line, power and signalling equipment from a 200-metre stretch of the ECML above.

    2020 April 8, Paul Stephen, “ECML dive-under drives divergence”, in Rail, page 44
    1 more example

    “If people can trust in him to run the country, you should trust in somebody that did their time and want to reinstate themselves,” Jeremiah says. “Especially if your leader has got 30-something felonies and I just have one.”

    2024 December 15, Kaan Ozcan and Sabrina Clay, “These convicted felons say if Trump can be elected president they shouldn’t face a stigma when applying for jobs”, in CNN, archived from the original on 17 Dec 2024
  2. transitiveTo bring back into use or existence; resurrect.

    The ancient taboo, which Plato wishes to reinstate, is an important element.

    2002, Gloria Ferrari, Figures of Speech: Men and Maidens in Ancient Greece, University of Chicago Press, sourced from https://books.google.no/books?id=ShYNG_q10UkC&pg=PA87&hl=no&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false, page 144
    1 more example

    My trip along the rest of the line is delightful. It's yet another route that has recovered from previous rationalisation by having tracks and platforms reinstated in recent years.

    2020 December 2, Paul Bigland, “My weirdest and wackiest Rover yet”, in Rail, page 67

Synonyms & antonyms

verbbring back into original existence, use, function, or position

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Italic*wre-
  2. Latinre-
  3. Old Frenchre-
  4. Middle Englishre-
  5. Englishre-
  6. Proto-Indo-European*h₁én
  7. Proto-Italic*en
  8. Proto-Italic*en-
  9. Latinin-
  10. Middle Englishin-
  11. Englishin-
  12. Proto-Indo-European*steh₂-
  13. Proto-Indo-European*stéh₂-tu-s ~ *sth₂-téw-s
  14. Proto-Italic*status
  15. Latinstatu
  16. Old Frenchestat
  17. Middle Englishstat
  18. Englishstate
  19. Englishinstate
  20. Englishreinstate

From re- + instate.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian възстановявам
  • възстановявам (văzstanovjavam)to restore to a former position or rank
Dutch opnieuw aanstellen
  • opnieuw aanstellento restore to a former position or rank
Finnish palauttaa virkaan, ottaa takaisin käyttöön
  • palauttaa virkaanto restore to a former position or rank
  • ottaa takaisin käyttöönto bring back into use or existence
French rétablir, réintégrer
  • rétablirto restore to a former position or rank
  • réintégrerto restore to a former position or rank
  • rétablirto bring back into use or existence
  • réactiverto bring back into use or existence
German wieder einsetzen, wieder einstellen
  • wieder einsetzento restore to a former position or rank
  • wieder einstellento restore to a former position or rank
Hungarian visszahelyez, újból beiktat
  • visszahelyezto restore to a former position or rank
  • újból beiktatto bring back into use or existence
  • visszaállítto bring back into use or existence
Latin restituō
  • restituōto bring back into use or existence
Norwegian Bokmål gjeninnsette
  • gjeninnsetteto restore to a former position or rank
Polish przywracać na stanowisko, przywrócić na stanowisko
  • przywracać na stanowiskoto restore to a former position or rank
  • przywrócić na stanowiskoto restore to a former position or rank
  • reaktywowaćto bring back into use or existence
Portuguese reestabelecer, restituir
  • reestabelecerto bring back into use or existence
  • restituirto bring back into use or existence
Russian вернуть, возродить
  • вернуть (vernutʹ)to restore to a former position or rank
  • возродить (vozroditʹ)to bring back into use or existence
Spanish reinstaurar
  • reinstaurarto restore to a former position or rank
Swedish återinföra
  • återinförato bring back into use or existence
Cite this entry
APA

reinstate. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reinstate

MLA

“reinstate.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reinstate. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “reinstate,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/reinstate.

Source: reinstate on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.