Rehearse Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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rehearse

[rɪˈhɜːrs ]

Definitions

^{Context #1 | Verb}

in preparation for a performance

Practice (a play, piece of music, or other work) for later public performance.

Synonyms

practice, prepare, run-through.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
rehearse	Most often used in the context of performing arts, such as theater, dance, or music, where individuals or groups repeatedly run through a performance to perfect it. The actors rehearsed their lines for hours. The band rehearsed the new song until it sounded perfect.
practice	Used frequently in the context of learning or refining a skill or activity through repeated exercise or performance. Can be used in both casual and formal settings. She practices the piano for an hour every day. The soccer team needs more practice before the big game.
prepare	Commonly used when discussing the process of getting ready for a specific event, task, or challenge. It can encompass a wide range of activities, from mental to physical preparations. He spent the evening preparing for his job interview. She prepared a delicious meal for her guests.
run-through	Typically used to describe a quick or preliminary rehearsal, often to test the general flow of a performance. It is less detailed than a full rehearsal. They did a run-through of the play before the final performance. We need to do one more run-through of the presentation.

Examples of usage

He spent the afternoon rehearsing his lines for the play.
She rehearsed the song multiple times before the concert.

^{Context #2 | Verb}

to repeat an action or series of actions

Mentally or verbally practice (something) to achieve memorization or proficiency.

Synonyms

drill, go over, recite.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
rehearse	Primarily used in the context of performing arts like theater, music, and dance, where participants practice a performance before the actual event. The actors spent weeks rehearsing the play before the opening night. We need to rehearse the dance routine one more time before the show.
recite	Used when repeating words from memory, often in a formal or educational setting such as poetry readings or religious practices. The students had to recite a poem in front of the class. He can recite all the capitals of the world from memory.
go over	Informally used to mean reviewing or checking something, often in an educational or preparatory context. Let's go over the answers one more time before we submit the test. She went over her notes before the big presentation.
drill	Commonly used in educational, military, or professional settings, often referring to repetitive practice to achieve proficiency or preparedness. The soldiers drilled their maneuvers for hours. The teacher drilled the students on their multiplication tables.

Examples of usage

He rehearsed his speech in front of the mirror.
I need to rehearse my presentation before the meeting.

^{Context #3 | Noun}

a run-through in preparation for a performance

A practice or trial performance of a play or other work for later public performance.

Synonyms

practice session, trial run.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
rehearse	Used when preparing for a performance, such as a play, concert, or speech, and involves going through the entire piece or event in a structured manner. The actors rehearse their lines every day after school. We need to rehearse the final scene again before the opening night.
trial run	Used when doing a test or preliminary attempt to see how something works, often related to events, processes, or systems to identify any issues beforehand. We are doing a trial run of the new software next week. Before the official launch, let's have a trial run of the event.

Word

Description / Examples

rehearse

Used when preparing for a performance, such as a play, concert, or speech, and involves going through the entire piece or event in a structured manner.

The actors rehearse their lines every day after school.
We need to rehearse the final scene again before the opening night.

trial run

Used when doing a test or preliminary attempt to see how something works, often related to events, processes, or systems to identify any issues beforehand.

We are doing a trial run of the new software next week.
Before the official launch, let's have a trial run of the event.

Examples of usage

We had a full dress rehearsal the day before the show.
The director called for a rehearsal of the final scene.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Origin of 'rehearse'

The word 'rehearse' originated from the Middle English word 'rehercen', which came from the Old French word 'rehercier', meaning 'to harrow again, to harrow over'. The term was originally used in the context of repeating or reciting something, especially in preparation for a performance. Over time, 'rehearse' evolved to encompass the idea of practicing or going over something repeatedly to achieve proficiency. Today, 'rehearse' is commonly used in the performing arts and other fields to describe the process of practicing or preparing for a future event or performance.

See also: hear, hearing, hearsay, rehearing, unheard.

Word Frequency Rank

Positioned at #20,575, this word is part of extensive vocabulary. It's relatively rare in general usage but may be important in specific fields or formal writing.

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20572 arbitrage
20573 impeccable
20574 buttoned
20575 rehearse
20576 teak
20577 dative
20578 flyer
...