reopen
gb/ɹiˈoʊpən/ us/ɹiˈoʊpən/
B1
English
~ 9200
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B1
action
1
open again after being closed
To open or start a place or service again after it has been closed for some time.
Usage pattern:
to reopen [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "open again" in very formal writing where "reopen" sounds more natural and concise, especially in news-style sentences (e.g., "The store reopened" instead of "The store opened again"). Another mistake is using "reopen" when something is being opened for the first time (e.g., incorrect: "They will reopen a new restaurant"; correct: "They will open a new restaurant").
Synonyms
open again (More informal and descriptive; a simple phrase rather than a single verb.)
|
restart (Often used for services, systems, or activities; does not work as well with physical doors or buildings.)
Antonyms
close (Means to stop access to a place or service, which is the opposite of making it available again.)
|
shut down (Emphasizes stopping operations completely, often for a long time or permanently.)
Collocations
reopen a store
|reopen schools
|reopen borders
|reopen the economy
|reopen the office
|reopen the museum
Themes
business
|government
|daily life
|daily_life
Examples
- The cafe will reopen next Monday after renovations.
- Authorities decided to reopen the highway once the snow was cleared.
- Many cinemas are slowly reopening with limited seating.
- The airport was reopened after security checks were completed.
- Our local library reopened its doors to the public last week.
Learner examples
- The shop will reopen tomorrow.
- Schools reopened after the holiday.
- The road reopened after the accident.
- The museum is closed now but will reopen at 2 p.m.
- The bank reopened after lunch.
Verb
B2
action
2
start a discussion or process again
To talk about or work on something again after you stopped or decided it before.
Usage pattern:
to reopen [a discussion/issue/process]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse "reopen" with "repeat" and say things like "repeat the discussion" when they mean to continue or start it again. "Repeat" suggests doing the same thing again from the beginning, while "reopen" means to bring an issue or process back onto the agenda after it was closed or decided. Learners also sometimes use "reopen" with people instead of issues (incorrect: "We reopened him"; correct: "We reopened the discussion with him").
Synonyms
resume (Focuses on continuing something from where it stopped; slightly more formal and broader in use.)
|
revive (Suggests bringing something back that was inactive or forgotten, often more dramatic than "reopen".)
Antonyms
conclude (Means to finish or bring something to an end, the opposite of starting it again.)
|
settle (Means to reach a final decision or agreement so that the issue does not need to be discussed again.)
Collocations
reopen the debate
|reopen negotiations
|reopen talks
|reopen the discussion
|reopen the issue
|reopen the question
Themes
politics
|law
|communication
|work
Examples
- The committee voted to reopen the debate on education reform.
- After new information emerged, they decided to reopen discussions with the union.
- The government has no plans to reopen the issue at this time.
- Some politicians want to reopen talks on the trade agreement.
- The board chose not to reopen the matter despite public pressure.
Learner examples
- The teacher reopened the discussion after the break.
- They want to reopen talks about the contract.
- We should not reopen this issue now.
- The company will reopen negotiations with the workers.
- The manager refused to reopen the question.
Verb
formal
C1
action
3
start a closed legal matter again
To officially start a court case or investigation again after it was finished.
Usage pattern:
to reopen [a case/investigation/inquiry]
Common mistake:
Learners may think "reopen" in this sense can be used with people instead of legal matters (incorrect: "The judge reopened the victim"; correct: "The judge reopened the case"). They may also confuse the legal sense with simple physical opening (e.g., thinking "reopen the case" refers to opening a physical box, when it usually means restarting a legal matter). Context about courts, police, or investigations usually signals the legal meaning.
Synonyms
reexamine (Focuses on looking at the evidence again, and may not always imply an official legal process is restarted.)
|
reconsider (General term for thinking again about a decision; less specifically legal than "reopen".)
Antonyms
dismiss (In legal context, means to stop a case or refuse to consider it, the opposite of starting it again.)
|
close (In legal and official language, means to formally end a case or investigation.)
Collocations
reopen a case
|reopen an investigation
|reopen an inquiry
|reopen the file
|reopen an inquest
|reopen an appeal
Themes
law
|crime
|government
Examples
- Detectives decided to reopen the case after new DNA evidence was found.
- The judge ruled that there were no grounds to reopen the trial.
- Police have reopened the investigation into the missing funds.
- Campaigners are calling on the authorities to reopen the inquest.
- Prosecutors said they would not reopen the file without fresh witnesses.
Learner examples
- The police reopened the case last year.
- The court refused to reopen the trial.
- They want to reopen the investigation.
- New evidence made them reopen the case.
- The family asked the judge to reopen the inquest.
Grammar
Dictionary form
reopen
IPA
GB/ɹiˈoʊpən/
US/ɹiˈoʊpən/
Syllables & stress
re - open (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (open)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: reopen
- 3rd Person Singular: reopens
- Present Participle: reopening
- Past: reopened
Word family
Expressions
reopen for business
1/ɹiˈoʊpən fɚ bˈɪznɪs/
fixed phrase
start serving customers again
To start a shop, restaurant, or other business working again and taking customers after it has been closed.
Examples
- Many restaurants are finally reopening for business this weekend.
- The hotel will reopen for business once the repairs are complete.
reopen old wounds
1/ɹiˈoʊpən ˈoʊld wˈundz/
idiom
make people feel past hurt again
To make someone feel sad, hurt, or upset again by talking about or returning to a painful event from the past.
Examples
- Discussing the accident in detail only reopened old wounds for the family.
- Talking about the accident only reopened old wounds for the family.
- The documentary risks reopening old wounds in a community still trying to heal.
- The documentary reopened old wounds for many people who lived through the war.
- He didn’t want to reopen old wounds by mentioning their breakup.
- He didn’t want to reopen old wounds by bringing up their breakup.