Again

//əˈɡɛn// adv, prep

adv, prep ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Adverb
  1. 1
    Another time: indicating a repeat of an action. not-comparable

    "I enjoyed it so much I went again the next day."

  2. 2
    Back (to a former place or state). not-comparable

    "We need to bring the old customs to life again."

  3. 3
    Over and above a factor of one. not-comparable

    "This stick is quite long, but that other one is half as long again."

  4. 4
    Used metalinguistically, with the repetition being in the discussion, or in the linguistic or pragmatic context of the discussion, rather than in the subject of discussion. not-comparable

    "Great, thanks again!"

  5. 5
    Used metalinguistically, with the repetition being in the discussion, or in the linguistic or pragmatic context of the discussion, rather than in the subject of discussion.; Tell me again, say again; used in asking a question to which one may have already received an answer that one cannot remember. not-comparable

    "What's that called again?"

Show 7 more definitions
  1. 6
    Used metalinguistically, with the repetition being in the discussion, or in the linguistic or pragmatic context of the discussion, rather than in the subject of discussion.; I ask again, I say again; used in repeating a question or statement. not-comparable

    "Again, I'm not criticizing, I just want to understand."

  2. 7
    Used metalinguistically, with the repetition being in the discussion, or in the linguistic or pragmatic context of the discussion, rather than in the subject of discussion.; Here too, here also, in this case as well; used in applying a previously made point to a new instance; sometimes preceded by "here". not-comparable

    "Approach B is better than approach A in many respects, but again, there are difficulties in implementing it."

  3. 8
    Back in the reverse direction, or to an original starting point. not-comparable, obsolete

    "Bring us word again."

  4. 9
    In return, as a reciprocal action; back. not-comparable, obsolete

    "So women are never angrie, but to the end a man should againe be angrie with them, therein imitating the lawes of Love."

  5. 10
    In any other place. not-comparable, obsolete

    "There is not, in the world again, such a spring and seminary of brave military people as in England, Scotland, and Ireland."

  6. 11
    On the other hand. not-comparable, obsolete

    "The one is my sovereign[…]the other again is my kinsman."

  7. 12
    Moreover; besides; further. not-comparable

    "Again, it is of great consequence to avoid, etc."

Adverb
  1. 1
    anew wordnet
Preposition
  1. 1
    Against. dialectal

    "And here begynneth the treson of Kynge Marke that he ordayned agayne Sir Trystram."

Synonyms

All synonyms
afreshanewanother timebesidesin additionmoreover

Example

More examples

"Could you call again later, please?"

Etymology

From Middle English agayn, from Old English onġēan (“against, again”), from Proto-West Germanic *in gagin, from Proto-Germanic *in gagin. Cognate with German entgegen (“contrary to”), North Frisian ijen (“against”), Danish igen (“again”), Swedish igen (“again”), and Norwegian Bokmål igjen (“again”), and Icelandic í gegnum (“through”). By surface analysis, on- + gain (“against”).

Related phrases

again and againagain-comingall over againas much againat times and againborn againborn-againbreathe againbut then againcome againcut and come againcut-and-come-again

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.