reactivate
B2-C1 (Upper Intermediate to Advanced)Neutral to Formal; common in technical, business, administrative, and medical contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To make something active again; to start something working or operating again after a period of inactivity.
In computing/technology: to restore a suspended account, service, or function. In biology/medicine: to cause a dormant virus, disease, or biological process to become active again. In organizations/military: to bring a unit, department, or program back into operation.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a return to a previous active state, not a new creation. Often used for systems, accounts, memberships, or processes that were intentionally deactivated or have lapsed. The prefix 're-' is stressed, emphasizing the return to functionality.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is virtually identical. Minor differences may appear in collocations with local institutions (e.g., 'reactivate your National Insurance' vs. 'reactivate your Social Security number').
Connotations
Neutral in both varieties. Slightly more common in American English in tech/business contexts due to market size.
Frequency
Comparable frequency. Slightly higher in AmE corpus data, likely due to higher volume of tech/business discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
reactivate + noun (direct object)reactivate + noun + prepositional phrase (e.g., 'reactivate an account on the platform')Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None directly. Function is itself technical/process-oriented.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Please reactivate your lapsed subscription to continue accessing the reports.
Academic
The study aimed to reactivate dormant neural pathways through targeted stimulation.
Everyday
I had to call the bank to reactivate my debit card after returning from abroad.
Technical
The update failed to reactivate the deprecated API endpoints.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- You can reactivate your gym membership online.
- The technician will reactivate the server after maintenance.
- Scientists fear the thaw could reactivate ancient pathogens.
American English
- You'll need to reactivate your cell phone plan.
- Click here to reactivate your expired license.
- The vaccine protocol may accidentally reactivate the virus.
adverb
British English
- The service was functioning reactively, not proactively.
- (Note: 'reactively' is related but not a direct derivative of 'reactivate'; common adverb for verb is not standard)
American English
- The system was restored quickly and reactively to the threat.
- (See UK note)
adjective
British English
- The reactivate button is greyed out.
- They followed the reactivation procedure meticulously.
American English
- Look for the reactivate option in settings.
- The account is pending a reactivation request.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- (Not typical at A2. Simpler 'turn on again' or 'start again' preferred.)
- My email account was closed, but I managed to reactivate it.
- To watch the film, you must reactivate your streaming service.
- The company decided to reactivate its old marketing campaign due to its previous success.
- After the security breach, all dormant accounts were reactivated for review.
- The research team sought to reactivate the subjects' latent memories through associative cues.
- Geopolitical tensions have effectively reactivated a cold war-era alliance structure.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'RE' + 'ACTIVATE' = to make ACTIVE again (RE). Like recharging a battery (RE-energizing it).
Conceptual Metaphor
SLEEPING/INACTIVE IS OFF, FUNCTIONING IS ON. To reactivate is to 'turn back on' a system or process.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'активировать заново' (более громоздко). 'Реактивировать' - возможный неологизм, но в английском 'reactivate' стандартно. Не использовать 'reanimate' (оживить от смерти) для счетов или систем.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'reactivate' for starting something brand new (use 'activate' or 'launch').
- Misspelling as 're-activate' (hyphen is generally unnecessary in modern usage).
- Confusing with 'reinstate' (which often implies restoring a person or position, not just a function).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'reactivate' LEAST appropriate?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Activate' means to start something for the first time or initiate its function. 'Reactivate' specifically means to make it active again after a period of being inactive, dormant, or deactivated.
Not typically for the person themselves. It's used for roles, statuses, or memberships associated with people (e.g., 'reactivate his security clearance'). For people resuming activity, 'recall', 'mobilize', or simply 'bring back' is more common.
It is neutral but leans towards technical, administrative, and business contexts. In everyday conversation, people might use phrasal verbs like 'turn back on' or 'start up again' for physical objects, but 'reactivate' is standard for accounts, services, and formal processes.
The noun form is 'reactivation' (e.g., 'The reactivation of the treaty surprised many diplomats').
Explore