# reenactment

/ɹiɪˈnæktmənt/ (US) · /ɹiːɛnˈæktmənt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/reenactment
Updated: 2026-10-14

## Definition

an event where people act out something from the past, like a famous battle or old daily life. You watch it to see how people lived, dressed, and fought.

For teachers: a performance in which participants reproduce a historical event or past situation with period costume, speech, and action. Often staged for educational or commemorative purposes.

## Examples

- They watch a battle reenactment every summer.
- The school takes students to a reenactment where actors cook, fight, and build boats as people did a thousand years ago.
- The weekend reenactment drew thousands of visitors, though historians debated whether careful costumes could truly capture the confusion and loss of the original battle.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.