reinstate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "reinstate" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to restoring someone or something to a previous state, position, or condition. Example: "After reviewing the case, the committee decided to reinstate her to her former position."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The EU executive in Brussels said on Wednesday that moves to reinstate the death penalty could incur curbs on Hungary's EU rights and entitlements.

The Guardian

The government is hoping to reinstate temporary protection visas, which provide asylum seekers with only three years' protection and deny the visa holder the right to be reunited with their family.

The Guardian

And even as public support for the death penalty is in welcome steep decline, back in 2011 the DUP called for a parliamentary debate to reinstate it.

The Guardian - Opinion

Related: Key Labour NHS pledge impossible to deliver, says influential thinktank Labour's plans to reinstate patients' right to see a GP within 48 hours should ensure that long waits to see a family doctor are banished.

The Guardian

For this reason it has been suggested that academic institutions benchmark the nature and prevalence of bullying behaviours, while providing education and guidelines designed to reinstate the more collegial culture that academia may have lost.

The Guardian

"We have no plans to reinstate the event," a BBC source tells me.

The Guardian - Film

But it did not meet the Coalition's demands that Labor identify $52bn worth of spending cuts, which the finance minister, Mathias Cormann, claimed was the total cost of measures Labor has blocked or pledged to reinstate.

The Guardian

Michael Gove's "reforms" would reinstate the single end-of-course exam, with no coursework, which must adversely effect some female students.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

In January, a campaign for OUP to reinstate the culled "nature words" was launched, drawing support from Margaret Atwood and Michael Morpurgo: OUP has responded positively and thoughtfully.

The Guardian - Books

On the transport front, poor old Newcastle hardly got a look in, as usual, beyond a very vague bit in the small print about "welcoming talks to reinstate the ferry from Norway" and £300,000 to encourage Scandinavians to visit the region.

The Guardian

Much of the momentum to reinstate Mr. Rudd came from a steady drumbeat of polls showing that the party under Ms. Gillard was almost certain to face a catastrophic loss in elections to be held in September.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "reinstate" when you specifically want to emphasize the restoration of something to its exact former position or condition. Alternatives like "restore" or "re-establish" can be used more broadly.

Common error

Avoid using "reinstate" when you mean to generally improve or repair something. "Reinstate" implies a return to a previous state, not necessarily making something better than it was before. Use "restore" in cases of general improvement.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "reinstate" is as a transitive verb. It requires a direct object, indicating what is being restored. As shown by Ludwig, this verb is actively used across diverse contexts, generally to indicate a return to a prior state or position.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

15%

Science

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

"Reinstate" is a grammatically correct and frequently used transitive verb that signifies the restoration of someone or something to a former position or condition. According to Ludwig, it's considered acceptable for use in various contexts. Primarily found in news and media, formal business environments, and scientific discussions, its purpose is to clearly communicate the action of returning to a previous state. While it can be used in general conversation, it is typically seen as a more formal alternative to simpler words and as such, this verb is often best suited to professional and official communications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

restore to its former position

Focuses on restoring a position specifically.

bring back into effect

Emphasizes the return to a state of being in effect.

return to a previous condition

Highlights a return to an earlier state.

re-establish in its prior state

Stresses the re-establishment of a prior condition.

put back in place

Simple and direct way to express restoring something.

revive

Implies bringing something back to life or activity.

re-establish

Focuses on the act of establishing again.

bring something back

A more general way to express returning something.

reverse a decision

Implies that a decision has been changed and the previous state will become active again.

overturn

Means that something that was running is now dismissed and the state previous to this will be reinstated.

FAQs

How do you use "reinstate" in a sentence?

You can use "reinstate" to describe restoring someone to a former position, like "The company decided to reinstate the employee after the investigation.", or to bring something back into use, like "The government plans to reinstate the old policy."

What can I say instead of "reinstate"?

You can use alternatives like "restore", "re-establish", or "bring back" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "reinstate" or "reinstall"?

"Reinstate" means to restore someone or something to a former position or condition. "Reinstall" typically refers to installing software or equipment again. The correct word depends on the context.

What's the difference between "reinstate" and "restore"?

"Reinstate" implies returning something specifically to its previous state or position. "Restore" is a broader term that can mean to bring something back to a good condition, not necessarily its exact former state. For example, you might "restore" an old painting, but you would "reinstate" a policy.