ENGLISH
REFERENCE

resume

v. · n.
US //ˈɹɛzəˌmeɪ// re·sume
  1. 1 to start again (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to start an activity again after a pause or break.

    to recommence an activity or process after an interruption or pause. Often used transitively with an object or intransitively.

    Example

    The rain stopped, so the players were able to resume the tennis match.

    Example

    After a brief adjournment to review the new evidence, the judge ordered the trial to resume the following morning.

    Usage

    Commonly followed by a noun or a gerund (verb-ing).

  2. 2 job application document (n.)
    B1 Intermediate American English

    a short document describing your education and work history that you send to a company when you want a job.

    a formal document outlining an individual's professional history, skills, and education, typically submitted for employment purposes.

    Example

    He sent his resume to five different companies but hasn't heard back yet.

    Example

    The hiring manager spent less than a minute scanning each resume before deciding which candidates to invite for an initial interview.

    Teacher's tip

    In British English, 'CV' is much more common, whereas 'resume' is the standard term in the United States and Canada.

    • CV
    • curriculum vitae
    Pitfall
    I need to update my resume's.
    I need to update my resume.

    The word 'resume' is a countable noun; do not add an apostrophe unless you are showing possession.

Show 1 more senseShow fewer
  1. 3 a summary (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    a short description that gives the main facts or ideas about something.

    a brief summary or synopsis of a larger work or situation.

    Example

    The book ends with a brief resume of the main characters' lives.

    Example

    The final chapter provides a concise resume of the experimental findings, linking them back to the original hypothesis proposed in the introduction.

Etymology 1

From Anglo-Norman resumer, Middle French resumer, from Latin resumere, from re- + sumere (“to take”).

Etymology 2

Borrowed from French résumé, past participle of résumer (“to summarize”), from Latin resūmere (“to take back”); compare resume.

© 2026 English Reference