reunite
B2Formal to neutral. Common in news, personal narratives, and institutional contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To bring or come together again after a period of separation.
To restore harmony, connection, or relationship between people, groups, or things that were previously united but have been apart.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily used for people, families, groups, or occasionally territories. Often implies a positive or desired outcome after a difficult separation. Can be transitive (to reunite someone) or intransitive (to reunite with someone).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is very similar. 'Reunite' is slightly more common in American English news headlines regarding family or diplomatic events. In UK English, 'be reunited with' is a frequent passive construction.
Connotations
In both variants, carries strong emotional weight related to family, loved ones, or homeland.
Frequency
Comparatively frequent in both dialects. No significant disparity.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[subject] reunites [object] (transitive)[subject] reunites with [object] (intransitive + with)[subject] is reunited with [object] (passive)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Reunite against a common enemy”
- “A reunited front”
- “The circle is reunited.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used when discussing merged departments coming back together or key team members rejoining a project.
Academic
Found in historical/political texts about divided regions or in sociological studies on family structures.
Everyday
Common in personal stories about friends or family meeting after a long time.
Technical
Rare. May appear in data management or archaeology (e.g., reuniting fragments).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The charity works to reunite refugee families separated by conflict.
- The band announced they would reunite for a one-off charity concert.
- She hopes to reunite with her childhood friend when she visits Australia.
American English
- The documentary follows efforts to reunite adopted children with their birth parents.
- After the merger, the two departments will reunite under a single manager.
- They reunited for their high school reunion after thirty years.
adverb
British English
- Not commonly used as an adverb. 'Reunitedly' is non-standard.
American English
- Not commonly used as an adverb. 'Reunitedly' is non-standard.
adjective
British English
- The reunited couple moved to a cottage in Cornwall.
- A reunited Germany faced new economic challenges.
American English
- The reunited team went on to win the championship.
- The reunited family celebrated with a large picnic.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The lost dog was reunited with its owner.
- The children were happy to reunite after the summer holidays.
- The two friends reunited at the airport after five years apart.
- The main goal of the organisation is to reunite families.
- The peace treaty aimed to reunite the divided provinces under a single government.
- Following the lengthy court case, the siblings were finally reunited.
- The summit sought to reunite the fractured coalition around a common policy platform.
- Critics argue that the proposed legislation would do little to reunite the disparate strands of the community.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of RE- (again) + UNITE (join together). It literally means 'to unite again'.
Conceptual Metaphor
REUNION IS HEALING A BREAK / MENDING A TORN FABRIC.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'repeat' or 'renovate'. The root is 'unite', not related to 'новый' (new). The Russian equivalent 'воссоединить(ся)' captures the 're-joining' sense well.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'reunite' without 'with' for intransitive sense (e.g., 'They reunited after the war' is correct; 'They reunited each other after the war' is awkward). Overusing for trivial meetings (e.g., 'We reunited for coffee' – better: 'We met up for coffee').
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'reunite' INCORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, while most common for people or groups, it can be used for places, abstract entities (e.g., a reunited front), or even objects, especially if they were once whole (e.g., reunite a collection).
'Reunite' focuses on coming together again physically or as a group. 'Reconcile' focuses on restoring a friendly relationship after an argument or disagreement; it's more about emotional harmony.
It's redundant. 'Reunite' already contains the idea of 'together again'. Simply use 'reunite'.
Yes, very common, especially in emotional or formal contexts (e.g., 'She was joyfully reunited with her son.').