Again Meaning, Examples and Usage Guide

Meaning 1：once more (again)

again 🔊

/əˈɡen/

adv.

It means one more time or once more, like doing something repeatedly or returning to a previous action.

Person typing again on laptop showing repetition action

once more 🔊

➕

/wʌns mɔːr/

adv.

Indicates doing something one more time or returning to a previous state or action.

📁 Category：Behaviors & Actions 🔖 Level：Elementary

📘 Details & Usage

📖 Root Explanation

From Old English ongēan (on + gegn 'toward, against'), originally meaning 'against' or 'in return'.

💡 Mnemonic

Think of pressing the 'replay' button on a song you love — you want to hear it 'again' and 'again'.

📖 Example

After finishing the puzzle, my little sister asked me to solve it again because she enjoyed watching. 🔊 After finishing the puzzle, my little sister asked me to solve it again because she enjoyed watching.

🔗 Collocations

try again – attempt something once more

do it again – repeat the same action

once again – another time, as before

🔄 Synonyms

anew (adv.) – in a new or different way, starting from the beginning

over again (adv. phrase) – another time from the start

once more (adv. phrase) – one additional time

🚫 Antonyms

once (adv.) – one single time, not repeated

never again (adv. phrase) – not at any future time

📖 Cultural Story

The word 'again' evolved from the Proto-Germanic *gagana ('back, against') and is related to German 'gegen' (against) and Gothic 'gagan' (again). It shifted from a sense of opposition to repetition.