restart

verb

re·​start (ˌ)rē-ˈstärt How to pronounce restart (audio)
restarted; restarting; restarts
Synonyms of restartnext

transitive verb

1
: to start anew
2
: to resume (something, such as an activity) after interruption

intransitive verb

: to resume operation
restartable adjective

Examples of restart in a Sentence

They plan to restart negotiations next week. The tournament will restart tomorrow.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The circuitry kind of stopped and restarted again, and maybe some things got lost. Erin Jensen, USA Today, 31 Dec. 2025 The two mothers managed on their own for a while, then both Uhl and Watkins separately reached out to the national organization about restarting Denver’s chapter. Shelly Bradbury, Denver Post, 29 Dec. 2025 During the months required to restart the business, the Walker family still paid their employees’ salaries, the Journal reported. David Chiu, PEOPLE, 26 Dec. 2025 Collections on loans restarted in May and are typically done through wage garnishments and offsetting tax refunds or other federal benefits like Social Security. Arthur Jones Ii, ABC News, 23 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for restart

Word History

First Known Use

1749, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of restart was in 1749

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Restart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/restart. Accessed 2 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

restart

verb
re·​start rē-ˈstärt How to pronounce restart (audio)
1
: to start anew
restarted the car
2
a
: to resume (as an activity) after an interruption
will restart the game
b
: to resume operation
the rides will restart after one hour
restart
ˈrē-ˌstärt
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on restart

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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