Meaning & use
reunion
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Meanings
nouncountable
A social gathering of people who have not seen each other for a long time, such as relatives or former classmates.
Grammar: Takes an or the: a family reunion.
Patterns
- a reunion of something
- a reunion with someone
Our school is holding a twenty-year reunion.
The whole family gathers at the lake for the annual reunion.
The old friends planned a reunion in Chicago.
nouncountable or uncountable
The moment or act of meeting someone again after being apart.
Grammar: Often followed by with: a tearful reunion with her son.
Patterns
- a reunion with someone
The soldier's reunion with his family was emotional.
The dog's reunion with its owner went viral.
They celebrated their reunion with a long dinner.
nouncountable
The coming back together of parts or groups that had separated, such as a band or a country.
Grammar: Often used for bands: a reunion tour.
Patterns
- a reunion of something
Fans cheered the band's reunion after ten years.
The reunion of the two companies created a stronger firm.
The reunion of the divided country took years.
Word forms
| plural | reunions |
|---|
Common combinations
- a family reunion
- We hold a family reunion every summer.
- a class reunion
- He went to his class reunion.
- a reunion tour
- The singer announced a reunion tour.
- a tearful reunion
- There was a tearful reunion at the airport.
- attend a reunion
- Hundreds of alumni attended the reunion.
Synonyms and how they differ
- get-together
- A get-together is any informal gathering, whereas a reunion needs people who were apart.
- homecoming
- Homecoming means returning to a place, and in the U.S. it is also a school event, while reunion is about people.
- gathering
- Gathering is a general word for any meeting of people, and it carries no sense of coming back together.
- reconciliation
- Reconciliation means ending a quarrel, whereas a reunion need not follow any conflict.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: reunion or union?
reunion vs union
A union is a joined group, such as a trade union, while a reunion is a coming together again.
Practice
Which of these is most likely to be called a reunion?
Choose one answer.
A reunion brings together people who have been apart. The other events are new or routine, so reunion does not suit them.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “reunion”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.