What does resumption mean?
Resumption means the act of beginning again after something has stopped, interrupted, or been suspended. It is used for restarting work, conversations, legal proceedings, transport services, and even military hostilities. The word is more formal and institutional than ordinary alternatives such as restart or return, and it often implies that something had already been established before the interruption. “Resumption of negotiations” suggests returning to talks that had been paused or broken down, while “resumption of proceedings” refers to restarting a formal process. In everyday conversation, people are more likely to say that they resumed an activity or that talks or work will resume. Resumption is therefore useful when the focus is not merely on beginning a new activity, but on continuing something that existed before a pause.
nounThe act of beginning again after an interruption, or the return of an activity, process, or discussion to its previous state. It most commonly refers to restarting work, talks, proceedings, or hostilities.
- The act of beginning again or returning to an activity after an interruption.
- The restarting of talks, proceedings, or hostilities.
- A return to normal activity or operation.
"The resumption of negotiations brought the two sides back to the negotiating table."
"The judge called for the resumption of proceedings after the interruption."
"Passengers waited for the resumption of flights when the storm passed."
The plural is possible but uncommon in ordinary usage.
"The report documented the resumptions of work after each emergency."
Resumption gives a grand name to the simple act of picking up where you left off.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does resumption come from?
The word comes through Latin from resumere, meaning “take up again” or “begin again.” Its components are the prefix re-, indicating repetition, and sumere, “take,” reflecting the idea of taking up an activity again. English developed the noun through Latin and French usage, while the closely related verb resume continues the same Latin source.
How resumption is actually used
The word is formal and somewhat impersonal in contemporary usage. It is especially common in legal, diplomatic, industrial, and news contexts.
Easily confused with resumption
A resume is a document summarizing a person's employment and education history, whereas resumption is the act of returning to an activity or process after an interruption.