What does rejoined mean?
Rejoined is the past tense and past participle of rejoin, meaning to come back together after a separation or to return to a place, group, activity, or conversation. It is widely used in British and American English and commonly suggests that the separation was temporary. People rejoin a family, team, organization, or discussion; a vehicle rejoins a route; and a participant rejoins a game, movement, or conflict. The word can also carry emotional weight, especially when describing people who have been apart for some time and are reunited. Its clear formation from the prefix re-, meaning again, and join makes the meaning especially transparent. Although rejoined is frequently used for physical return, it also describes restoring a relationship or conversation that had become interrupted. In these contexts, it often implies continuity: the group or exchange resumes rather than beginning anew.
verbCame back together after being separated, or returned to a place, group, activity, or conversation. As a past participle, it describes someone or something that has been reunited or has returned.
- Came back together with people, a group, or an organization after being separated.
- Returned to a place, route, activity, or conversation after leaving or becoming disconnected from it.
"After the long delay, the stranded hikers rejoined their group at the camp."
"The two sisters rejoined at the airport after years apart."
"The train left the station and rejoined the main line several miles later."
When a path, relationship, or conversation is interrupted, rejoined captures the satisfying moment when it picks up where it left off.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does rejoined come from?
Rejoined is formed from the prefix re-, meaning again, and join. The word join entered English from Old French joindre, which derives from Latin jungere, meaning to join or unite. The prefix re- adds the sense of doing this again after a separation, a development that also produced related forms such as reunion.
Related word forms
How rejoined is actually used
Rejoined is standard in formal and informal English in both British and American usage. It commonly carries the implication of a prior separation, whether physical, social, or communicative.
Easily confused with rejoined
Joined means connected or became a member in the first place, whereas rejoined means connected or returned after a separation.