What does rerunning mean?
Rerunning means running or doing something again after it has already been attempted. The word is especially common in computing, where a user may rerun a command, program, test, query, or failed process, often after correcting a problem or changing a setting. It can also describe repeating a broader activity, such as an experiment or analysis. The prefix re- emphasizes repetition, while running is the central action. In everyday conversation, “run” may be sufficient, but rerunning clarifies that the previous attempt is being repeated. The term is useful in technical and operational settings because it distinguishes a fresh execution from a first attempt, and it often implies that repetition is deliberate and purposeful rather than accidental.
verbRunning or executing again, especially a program, command, test, or task that has already been performed once.
- Running or executing again after a previous attempt, interruption, or failure.
"The developer fixed the error and reran the test suite."
"After identifying the cause of the outage, the operator reran the failed process."
"She is rerunning the analysis with a larger sample size."
In computing, rerunning often means repeating a process without losing the original result, allowing developers to test a change or recover from a temporary failure.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of rerunning
Rerunning is formed from the English verb run with the prefix re-, meaning again. The base verb run has Old English origins and developed through Middle English into its modern forms, including ran and running. Many English verbs use re- to indicate repetition, so rerunning follows a productive pattern rather than having an independent historical origin.
Related word forms
How rerunning is actually used
Rerunning is commonly used in computing, engineering, and everyday contexts to describe repeating a command, program, test, task, or experiment. It is usually informal or technical rather than formal prose.