reincarnation

noun

re·​in·​car·​na·​tion ˌrē-(ˌ)in-(ˌ)kär-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce reincarnation (audio)
Synonyms of reincarnationnext
1
a
: the action of reincarnating : the state of being reincarnated
b
: rebirth in new bodies or forms of life
especially : a rebirth of a soul in a new human body
2
: a fresh embodiment

Examples of reincarnation in a Sentence

Many people believe in reincarnation.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Why couldn’t a kid from Newark, New Jersey, be the reincarnation of Dante Alighieri? — Todd Gilchrist, IndieWire, 24 June 2026 It is rooted in the story of Lord Krishna, a reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who played pranks splashing maids with water and colors. — Hanna Wickes, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026 The festival is rooted in the story of Lord Krishna, the reincarnation of Lord Vishnu, who is said to have played pranks by splashing maids with water and colors. — Hanna Wickes, Sacbee.com, 2 June 2026 He's believed to be the reincarnation of Kyabje Trulshik Rinpoche — the Tibetan Buddhist master who first recognized Dorje as a tulku at four months old. — CBS News, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for reincarnation

Word History

First Known Use

1845, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of reincarnation was in 1845

Rhymes for reincarnation

See All Rhymes for reincarnation

Browse Nearby Words

reincarnate
reincarnation
reincarnationist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reincarnation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reincarnation. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

reincarnation

noun
re·​in·​car·​na·​tion (ˌ)rē-ˌin-ˌkär-ˈnā-shən How to pronounce reincarnation (audio)
1
: the action of reincarnating : the state of being reincarnated
2
: rebirth in new bodies or forms of life
especially : a rebirth of a soul in a new human body
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All