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relive

[ree-liv] / riˈlɪv /




Frequently Asked Questions

What is another word for relive?
To relive something means to experience it again in some way—to reexperience it. Sometimes, relive means to vividly recall the experience in your mind, as if you’re living through it again. In this way, to relive is really to remember. Often, saying that you relived an event really means that a memory of it triggered the same emotions you felt during the original experience. Sometimes, we relive experiences in our dreams, and sometimes in flashbacks. When this happens, the mind recreates the experience from our memories. In movies like Groundhog Day, characters literally relive the same day over and over again—they repeat it again and again until Andie MacDowell falls in love with them.
How is relive different from reminisce?
The meanings of relive and reminisce can overlap. When you reminisce about past events, it’s often an intentional way of trying to relive them. Reminiscing is commonly done through talking about those events with other people who also experienced them, which can stir memories and emotions. But there are differences. Reminisce is always used in the context of fond memories, and reminiscing is always intentional, while relive can be used in positive contexts (fond memories) or negative ones (traumatic memories), and reliving an experience in your mind sometimes happens even when you don’t want it to.
Is it relive or re-live?
Like many other words that begin with the prefix re- (meaning “again”), relive is typically spelled without a hyphen. In some words that begin with the prefix re-, a hyphen is necessary to distinguish one word from another that would be spelled the same but has an entirely different meaning, such as resign (as in quit) and re-sign (as in sign again). This is not an issue with relive.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

He was already looking forward to the end of his morning meeting so he and other football-loving colleagues could relive the match over another cup of coffee.

From Barron's Jul. 20, 2026

"This is something I have to relive every day," she said.

From BBC Jul. 7, 2026

Watch Pixar legend Andrew Stanton relive some of the iconic moments from the 10 animated movies he has written or directed.

From The Wall Street Journal Jun. 18, 2026

A pair of acoustic guitars chimed in, and suddenly we were transported to a fictional Pittsburgh hospital to relive our collective heartbreak over a beloved character’s death.

From Los Angeles Times Jun. 16, 2026

What I wouldn’t give to relive that summer.

From "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher

The eyes of key figures, including captain Leah Williamson and manager Sarina Wiegman, this documentary relives England’s incredible European Championship triumph in July 2022.

From BBC May 10, 2026

In his new memoir, “Everything You Want Is on the Other Side of Hard,” runner Ken Rideout relives a physically grueling 2023 ultramarathon in the Gobi Desert.

From The Wall Street Journal Nov. 1, 2025

Seattle Totems great Guyle Fielder admits the past week has been “overwhelming” as he relives a professional hockey career that ended a half-century ago.

From Seattle Times Feb. 19, 2024

But the team can watch tape and he plans to make sure the group relives Friday night’s letdown, highlighting the best and worst of the team’s performance.

From Los Angeles Times Jan. 20, 2024

In other words, the song relives and retells the experiences of a child in another century and makes her story highly relatable to us today.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

“Over the course of many weeks during three separate trials, she relived unthinkably painful experiences in front of complete strangers,” said Bragg.

From The Wall Street Journal May 15, 2026

This was only Chelsea's third clean sheet in 12 matches and boss Enzo Maresca was relived to emerge unscathed for once.

From Barron's Nov. 1, 2025

It is relived daily through stories passed down, names found in tribunal transcripts and artifacts pulled from mass graves.

From Salon Jul. 31, 2025

"I was really shocked when I was told it was a tumour. I was relived to hear it was benign but he told me if I don't get it out it could turn cancerous."

From BBC Dec. 22, 2024

He had relived the night for us as we sat in Clancy’s office, eating what food was left in the supply room.

From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken

By interrupting the repeated nighttime reliving of trauma, the treatment allowed many of them to sleep more peacefully.

From Science Daily Aug. 6, 2026

We used to watch it together and now we’re reliving our nostalgia and childhood.

From Los Angeles Times Jul. 10, 2026

But it hasn’t stopped her from reliving it all.

From Salon May 27, 2026

"Nick absolutely loved it, seeing these young girls come through and playing football. It was almost like he was reliving Ella's life again," adds Bunney.

From BBC May 26, 2026

I waited for him to finish reliving his experience.

From "Bless Me, Ultima" by Rudolfo Anaya




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