reunion
gb/ɹiˈunjən/ us/ɹiˈunjən/
B1
English
~ 6800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B1
event
1
social gathering after time apart
A special meeting where family, friends, or classmates who have not seen each other for a long time come together again.
Usage pattern:
a [family/school/class] reunion
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "reunion" with "union". A "reunion" is when people who were together, then apart, meet again. A "union" is a group or organization formed by people, or the act of joining together for the first time.
Synonyms
gathering (A general word for people coming together; does not always imply they have been apart for a long time.)
|
get-together (More informal and general; does not always suggest a long time apart.)
|
homecoming (Often used for someone returning to their home or school; sometimes used for large organized events like a university homecoming.)
Antonyms
separation (Focuses on people or groups being apart rather than meeting again.)
|
farewell (A gathering or moment when people say goodbye, the opposite point in time from a reunion.)
Collocations
family reunion
|school reunion
|class reunion
|high-school reunion
|reunion dinner
|reunion party
Themes
social life
|family
|education
|relationships
|daily_life
Examples
- We have a big family reunion every summer at my grandparents' house.
- She flew back from Canada for her ten-year high-school reunion.
- The class reunion was full of laughter and old stories.
- He organized a reunion for everyone who worked at the company in the 1990s.
- They met at a college reunion and quickly became close friends again.
Learner examples
- My family reunion is next month.
- We had a school reunion last year.
- I went to a class reunion and saw my old teacher.
- They are planning a big family reunion at the beach.
- She missed the reunion because she was sick.
Noun
B2
event
2
act of coming together again
The act of being together again after being apart or separated.
Usage pattern:
the reunion of [people/groups]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "reunion" only for big planned events. It can also mean the emotional moment or process of coming together again, even if there is no official event (e.g., "the reunion of the couple").
Synonyms
reuniting (A very close synonym that focuses on the process rather than the event itself.)
|
reconciliation (Adds the idea of fixing a conflict or bad feelings, not just being in the same place again.)
Antonyms
breakup (Describes people or groups ending a relationship, the opposite of coming back together.)
|
division (Focuses on groups or areas being split apart, the opposite of forming a single unit again.)
Collocations
emotional reunion
|tearful reunion
|joyful reunion
|reunion of the couple
|reunion of the band
|reunion of the country
Themes
emotions
|relationships
|politics
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- After two years of war, the reunion of the family was deeply emotional.
- The film ends with the quiet reunion of the two brothers.
- Millions watched the televised reunion of the kidnapped child with her parents.
- The band's surprise reunion delighted their longtime fans.
- The peace agreement opened the door to the possible reunion of the divided regions.
Learner examples
- The reunion of the mother and child made everyone cry.
- Their reunion after ten years was very emotional.
- The reunion of the band made old fans very happy.
- The story is about the reunion of two friends.
- The reunion of the country was important for peace.
proper noun
B2
entity
3
French island in Indian Ocean
An island that is part of France in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar, called Réunion.
Usage pattern:
[someone] travels to/visits Réunion
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse "Réunion" the island with the common noun "reunion" meaning a meeting after time apart. In writing, the place name often uses a capital letter and sometimes an accent: "Réunion".
Synonyms
Réunion Island (A common extended form of the same place name used in English to make it clear it is an island.)
Collocations
Réunion Island
|the island of Réunion
|travel to Réunion
|Réunion National Park
|Réunion's capital
Themes
geography
|travel
|space
Examples
- She spent a year doing research on coral reefs off the coast of Réunion.
- Réunion is known for its volcanic landscapes and hiking trails.
- Flights to Réunion are often more expensive during the European winter.
- Cyclones sometimes cause serious damage on Réunion.
- French and Creole are widely spoken on Réunion.
Learner examples
- My friend moved to Réunion for work.
- They want to travel to Réunion on holiday.
- Réunion is a French island near Madagascar.
- There are many mountains on Réunion.
- The weather on Réunion is usually warm.
Grammar
Dictionary form
reunion
IPA
GB/ɹiˈunjən/
US/ɹiˈunjən/
Syllables & stress
re - union (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (union)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: reunion
- Plural: reunion, reunions
Word family
Forms
reunions
noun
Core family
reunite
verb
Negative and opposite forms
disunite
verb
disunity
noun
Advanced or less common
unification
noun B2
reunification
noun C1
Expressions
class reunion
1/klˈæs ɹiˈunjən/
fixed phrase
reunion of a graduating class
A meeting where people who finished school or university in the same year come together again.
Examples
- Our ten-year class reunion is next spring.
- He skipped the class reunion because he was traveling for work.
emotional reunion
1/ɪmˈoʊʃənəl ɹiˈunjən/
fixed phrase
reunion with strong emotions
A meeting again after time apart that makes people feel very strong emotions, like happiness or sadness.
Examples
- Reporters captured the emotional reunion between the lost child and her parents.
- Their emotional reunion was shared widely on social media.
family reunion
1/fˈæmɪli ɹiˈunjən/
fixed phrase
gathering of extended family
A planned meeting where many members of a family, often from different places, come together after a long time.
Examples
- We have a big family reunion every five years at a beach resort.
- The family reunion brought together cousins who had never met before.
high-school reunion
1/hˈaɪ skˈul ɹiˈunjən/
fixed phrase
gathering of former high-school classmates
A meeting where people who went to the same high school come together again after many years.
Examples
- She met her future business partner at her twenty-year high-school reunion.
- I was nervous about seeing my old classmates at the high-school reunion.
reunion dinner
1/ɹiˈunjən dˈɪnɚ/
fixed phrase
special meal for meeting again
A special dinner where family or friends who have been apart come together again.
Examples
- They held a reunion dinner to celebrate their parents' fiftieth wedding anniversary.
- The reunion dinner lasted late into the night.
reunion show
1/ɹiˈunjən ʃˈoʊ/
fixed phrase
show where cast meets again
A special TV show or performance where people who worked together before come back and appear together again.
Examples
- The reunion show featured the entire original cast of the sitcom.
- Fans are excited about the reunion show announced for next month.
reunion tour
1/ɹiˈunjən tˈʊɹ/
fixed phrase
tour after band reforms
A series of concerts by a band or group that has started playing together again after a long break or a breakup.
Examples
- The band's reunion tour sold out in minutes.
- Fans are hoping for a reunion tour next year.
school reunion
1/skˈul ɹiˈunjən/
fixed phrase
reunion of former students
A meeting where people who went to the same school come together again after many years.
Examples
- She flew home to attend her old school's reunion.
- The school reunion was held in the new gymnasium.
tearful reunion
1/tˈɪɹfəl ɹiˈunjən/
fixed phrase
reunion with tears of emotion
A meeting again after time apart where people cry because they feel very strong emotions.
Examples
- The documentary showed the tearful reunion of refugees with their relatives.
- It was a tearful reunion when the soldier finally came home.
joyful reunion
1/d͡ʒˈɔɪfəl ɹiˈunjən/
fixed phrase
very happy meeting again
A very happy moment when people meet again after being apart for a long time.
Examples
- The movie ends with a joyful reunion between mother and son.
- Their joyful reunion at the airport brought tears to my eyes.
- After years of living abroad, she had a joyful reunion with her childhood friends.
- The film ends with a joyful reunion of the family.