Reoccur

Reoccur is a verb in English meaning to happen again after a prior occurrence. It is formed with the prefix re- attached to the verb occur and is used to indicate that something happens once more following a previous instance. The term is closely related to recur, though some usage guides note subtle distinctions: reoccur emphasizes a second occurrence, while recur can imply repeated occurrences over time. In practice, the two verbs are often used interchangeably.

Spelling, forms, and alternatives: The base form is reoccur. Common inflected forms include reoccurs (present), reoccurring (present participle), and reoccurred (past). The noun form reoccurrence is used, though recurrence remains a more common term for something that happens again. Some editors consider reoccur a borderline or less preferred variant of recur, especially in formal writing, while others treat it as a standard option.

Etymology and usage notes: Reoccur derives from the Latin occurre, with the prefix re- meaning again. The nuance of reoccur can be subtle: it often signals a single return rather than a continuous pattern, though both reoccur and recur appear in a wide range of contexts—from everyday language to technical writing. When precision is important, recur or recurrence may be clearer for describing repeated events over time.

Examples:

- The problem reoccurred after the fix was applied.

- A reoccurrence of the error prompted a design review.

- Some outages are expected to recur if the system isn’t updated.

See also: recurrence, recur, reoccurrence.