To reopen means to open something again after it has been closed. When a library reopens after summer break, it unlocks its doors and welcomes readers back inside. When a restaurant reopens after repairs, customers can once again eat there.

The word often appears when something returns after an absence or interruption. A park might reopen after a storm knocked down trees and workers cleared the damage. A museum might close for renovations and then reopen months later with fresh paint and new exhibits. Schools reopen each fall after summer vacation ends.

Sometimes reopening isn't physical but involves starting something up again. A detective might reopen a cold case when new evidence surfaces, meaning she begins investigating it again even though the case had been set aside years earlier. A government committee might reopen debate on a law, returning to discuss an issue they thought they'd already settled.

The word suggests a pause or interruption rather than something completely new. When a theater reopens, it's the same theater, just welcoming audiences again after being dark and empty.