Relive

To experience again, either literally or in memory, a past event, feeling, or experience. This can involve mentally revisiting the details, emotions, and sensations associated with the past. Reliving can be triggered by sensory input, such as sights, sounds, smells, or even certain words, or it may occur spontaneously. The intensity of reliving can vary, from a fleeting thought to a vivid and immersive recreation of the past, often accompanied by the emotions experienced at the time. It implies a degree of mental re-engagement with a prior moment, as if it were happening once more. The context is key when considering reliving; it can involve positive or negative past experiences, and its impact can be therapeutic or traumatic. It is inherently about the connection between past and present mental states.

Relive meaning with examples

• She closed her eyes and tried to relive the thrill of her first stage performance, focusing on the bright lights and the roar of the crowd to recapture the feeling. The memory, sparked by hearing applause, transported her back in time.
• During therapy, he was encouraged to relive the trauma of his childhood to process the unresolved emotions. This was a difficult but necessary step toward healing, using guided visualization to remember the past experiences.
• Reading old love letters, she couldn't help but relive the early days of their relationship, fondly recalling their first dates and the spark of their connection. The sweet memories brought a smile to her face.
• The veteran found it hard to sleep, plagued by nightmares that forced him to relive the horrors of the battlefield night after night. The vivid images and sounds tormented him, as if the war was never truly over.