# resume

/ˈɹɛzəˌmeɪ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/resume
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. to start again

verb · CEFR B1

to start an activity again after a pause or break.

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

- The rain stopped, so the players were able to resume the tennis match.
- 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. job application document

noun · CEFR B1 · American English

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

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

- He sent his resume to five different companies but hasn't heard back yet.
- The hiring manager spent less than a minute scanning each resume before deciding which candidates to invite for an initial interview.

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

### 3. a summary

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

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

For teachers: a brief summary or synopsis of a larger work or situation.

- The book ends with a brief resume of the main characters' lives.
- The final chapter provides a concise resume of the experimental findings, linking them back to the original hypothesis proposed in the introduction.

## Examples

- I need to update my resume before applying for the new job.
- The hiring manager spent only a few seconds scanning each resume to find candidates with the right technical skills.
- A well-crafted resume should highlight quantifiable achievements rather than just listing daily responsibilities to demonstrate the candidate's potential impact on the organization.

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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.