rerun

A "rerun" most often means a television or radio program that is shown or played again after the first time. Think of your favorite sitcom: when the same episode comes back on later, that is a rerun. The word can also be used as a verb. A station can rerun an episode, or a person can rerun a test, a program, or an event.

Sometimes this feels nice, like watching a favorite show again. Other times, it can feel tiring, especially when the same problem happens again.

The word "rerun" describes something that is shown, played, or done again. It is most commonly used for television and radio. When a program is broadcast again after its original showing, that later showing is called a rerun. "After the finale, the network said it would air reruns of the show all summer."

But the word is not limited to media. As a verb, it can mean to run something again, such as a test, a computer program, an experiment, or an election. As a noun, it can also describe a repeated version of something more generally. If the same argument happens again a week later, it may feel like a rerun of the last one.

The idea behind "rerun" is repetition with little or no change. Sometimes reruns are enjoyable because they bring back something familiar. In other cases, the word suggests that the same thing is happening again when people hoped for a different result.

So whether it is a favorite episode on TV, a repeated radio show, or a process that must be done again, "rerun" points to something returning for another round.