# resurrect

/ˌɹɛzɝˈɛkt/ (US) · /ɹɪsəɹˈɛkt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/resurrect
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to bring back to life

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal

to bring a person or animal back to life after they have died.

For teachers: to restore a deceased being to life. Often used in religious or mythological contexts; transitive when one entity acts upon another.

- In the story, the hero uses a magic spell to resurrect his fallen friend.
- Ancient mythologies frequently feature deities with the power to resurrect the dead, reflecting a universal human desire to overcome mortality.

### 3. to fix or restore to use

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal

to make something work again, like an old machine or a failed project.

For teachers: to restore something to a functional or active state, particularly regarding technology or stalled initiatives.

- I managed to resurrect my old laptop by installing a new hard drive.
- Engineers worked around the clock to resurrect the damaged server, eventually recovering the data that had been presumed lost during the power surge.

## Examples

- The studio decided to resurrect the old TV show for a new generation.
- After discovering the original blueprints in the attic, the architect hoped to resurrect the plans for the community garden.
- While the religious text describes a figure who can resurrect the dead, modern political commentators use the term to describe the sudden return of populist ideologies thought to be extinct.

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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.