again

adverb

ə-ˈgen How to pronounce again (audio)
-ˈgin,
-ˈgān
1
: in return : back
… swore he would pay him again when he was able.William Shakespeare
2
a
: another time : once more : anew
I shall not look upon his like again.William Shakespeare
b
used to introduce a statement that repeats and stresses something previously said
Again, I ask, why are you doing this?
c
used to ask someone to repeat something that was not heard or understood clearly
I'm sorry, what was your name again?
3
: on the other hand
He might go, and again he might not.
4
: in addition : besides
Again, there is another matter to consider.

Examples of again in a Sentence

Please, come see us again. It was nice to see my friends again. She wants to prove that she can do it again. Things are back to normal again. When we heard the news, we all said, “Oh no! Not again!”. She demonstrated yet again her remarkable artistic talents. It'll just be the same thing all over again. When he stood up, he got so dizzy that he had to sit down again.
Recent Examples on the Web In Ava DuVernay’s Origin, Pedretti brought agility and vulnerability again as Irma Eckler, a jewish woman in 1930s Nazi Germany. Kalia Richardson, Rolling Stone, 25 Mar. 2024 His remarks came as the U.N. Security Council failed yet again to agree on a resolution calling for some form of truce in the conflict. Ishaan Tharoor, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2024 California More rain hits L.A., California this weekend, while the Sierra again braces for heavy snow March 23, 2024 Sunday’s bout of stormy weather was driven by a cold system moving south across the Southland, Munroe said. Hayley Smith, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2024 Then, in the sixth minute of stoppage time, the referee brought play to a halt again for over a minute. Ben Church, CNN, 25 Mar. 2024 Cillian Murphy is once again mining the non-fiction space for his work. Aaron Couch, The Hollywood Reporter, 25 Mar. 2024 While the planes were allowed to fly again starting in late January, the FAA put limits on how many Max planes Boeing can produce moving forward. Tori Latham, Robb Report, 25 Mar. 2024 As spring days lengthen and summer approaches, however, Bruni-Sarkozy will be occupied once again with those roses in Provence. David Graver, Vogue, 25 Mar. 2024 And watched everyone else around me succeed, time and time again. Michael Schneider, Variety, 14 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'again.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English ayen, ayein, ayan, ageyn, again "back, in the opposite direction, to a former state, once more, another time," going back to Old English ongeagn, ongeæn, ongēan, ongān, ongegn, ongēn, agēn (Northumbrian ongægn, ongǣn), (compare parallel compounds in Old Saxon angegin "once more, toward," Old High German ingagan, ingegin "in opposition") from on-, a- on entry 1, a- entry 1 + -geagn (going back to Germanic *gagna-, whence Old High German gagan "towards, against," Old Norse gagn- "against, counter, through") or -gegn (going back to Germanic *gagni-, whence Old Saxon & Old High German gegin "against," Old Frisian jēn, Old Norse gegn)

Note: It has been assumed that certain Old English forms, such as ongeagn, reflected an original *gagna-, and others, such as ongegn, an original *gegni-, though the evidence for the latter in Old English is not entirely clear. The rare instances of ongegn could represent "palatal monophthongization" of ongeagn, while ongēn would be a contraction of ongegn—this would leave only reflexes of *gagna- in Old English. Old English ongān (continued in Middle English ayan) apparently represents a monophthongization of ongēan after the crest of the diphthong had shifted forward. Middle English ayen, the most common southern form well into the 14th century, may be the outcome of either ongēan or ongēn. The form ayein would appear to directly continue ongegn. Originally northern again is presumed to have the velar /g/ from Old Norse i gegn. The shortened vowel in the usual pronunciation of again is probably due to against, where it was conditioned by the final consonant cluster. The origin of Germanic *gagna-, *gegni- (Gothic correspondent lacking) is obscure.

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of again was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near again

Cite this Entry

“Again.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/again. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

again

adverb
ə-ˈgen How to pronounce again (audio)
-ˈgin,
-ˈgān
1
: in return
send the message and bring us word again
2
: another time : anew
come see us again
3
: in addition
half as much again
4
: on the other hand
I may, and again I may not
5
: moreover, further
again, there is another matter to consider
Etymology

Old English ongēan "opposite, back"

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