To reconnect means to join or link something back together after it has been separated or disconnected. When your internet stops working, you might need to reconnect your computer to the Wi-Fi network. If a wire comes loose from a circuit board, an engineer reconnects it to restore power.

The word also describes renewing a relationship or connection with someone after time apart. Maybe you reconnect with an old friend you haven't seen since third grade, picking up your friendship after years of living in different cities. Families sometimes reconnect at reunions, rebuilding bonds that faded when people moved away or got busy with their lives.

You can reconnect with activities or interests too. A musician who stopped playing piano for years might reconnect with music by taking lessons again. Someone feeling stressed might reconnect with nature by spending time hiking in the woods.

Unlike a first meeting or first connection, reconnecting carries a sense of returning to something that once existed, whether that's a friendship, a hobby, or even just your home's internet connection.