Word
reinstate
Phoneticsre·in·state, stress on the third syllable
US/ˌɹiɪnˈsteɪt/
UK/ɹˌiːɪnstˈeɪt/
Definitions
01to restore to a job or rank
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to give someone their former job or position back after they were removed from it.
v. to restore a person to a former position, office, or rank. Transitive; requires a direct object representing the person being restored.
“The company agreed to reinstate the worker after the union proved he was fired unfairly.”
“Following a thorough internal investigation that cleared him of all charges, the board voted unanimously to reinstate the CEO to his former role.”
02to bring back a rule or system
C1 · Advanced Formal
v. to start using a rule, law, or system again that was stopped in the past.
v. to re-establish or bring back into use a law, policy, or practice that had been abolished or suspended.
“The city decided to reinstate the old parking rules to reduce traffic in the center.”
“The government faced significant public pressure to reinstate the environmental protections that had been rolled back during the previous administration.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object. It is frequently used in the passive voice in formal reporting.
Pitfall
The law was reinstate last week.
The law was reinstated last week.
As a regular verb, the past participle 'reinstated' must be used in passive constructions.
Real-World Examples
“Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said it was too late to reinstate cancelled appointments on Monday, but health chiefs were working to reorganise those scheduled from Tuesday to Thursday.” “Reinstating them on the original timetable will be a tough task for hospitals.” Etymology
From re- + instate.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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