# rehearsed

/ɹiˈhɝst/ (US) · /ɹɪhˈɜːsd/ (UK) · CEFR B2 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/rehearsed
Updated: 2026-05-09

## Definition

practiced many times so that it is ready for a performance or a meeting. It can also describe something that feels planned and not natural.

For teachers: prepared or practiced in advance of a public performance or presentation. Often describes speech or behavior that appears calculated rather than spontaneous.

## Examples

- The actors gave a perfectly rehearsed performance.
- His apology sounded too rehearsed to be sincere, as if he had spent hours practicing it in front of a mirror.
- While the technical aspects of the play were flawlessly rehearsed, the lead actor struggled to maintain a sense of emotional spontaneity during the final act of the opening night.

## Usage notes

- Often follows linking verbs like 'sound', 'look', or 'seem'.

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