reentry

American  

[ree-en-tree] / riˈɛn tri /

Also re-entry,

noun

plural

reentries

1. an act of reentering.

2. the return from outer space into the earth's atmosphere of an earth-orbiting satellite, spacecraft, rocket, or the like.

3. Law. the retaking of possession under a right reserved in a prior conveyance.

4. Also called reentry card.  Bridge, Whist. a card that will win a trick enabling one to regain the lead previously lost, especially the lead from a particular hand.

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Etymology

Origin of reentry

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; re-, entry

Example Sentences

A multi-warhead missile can strike multiple targets with a single launch while overwhelming defence systems through simultaneous, dispersed reentry vehicles.

From Barron's • Mar. 29, 2026

Kristie Puckett, a lobbyist who pushes against mass incarceration and the barriers for reentry into society, said that private prisons have “long found success hiding information” about their treatment of people detained in their facilities.

From Salon • Jan. 28, 2026

Space Command, which relies on orbital tracking before reentry.

From Science Daily • Jan. 24, 2026

Between Jan. 20 and May 1, the office charged 347 people with illegal reentry.

From Los Angeles Times • May 25, 2025

That didn’t stop Langley engineers from imagining how the missile bodies and rocket engines and reentry problems involved in high-speed flight research might also apply to space vehicles.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly