reformation

noun

ref·​or·​ma·​tion ˌre-fər-ˈmā-shən How to pronounce reformation (audio)
1
: the act of reforming : the state of being reformed
2
capitalized : a 16th century religious movement marked ultimately by rejection or modification of some Roman Catholic doctrine and practice and establishment of the Protestant churches
reformational adjective

Examples of reformation in a Sentence

the reformation of our justice system
Recent Examples on the Web Leaders of the protestant reformation in Europe, most famously Martin Luther, emerged from university programs in theology with historical ties to medieval institutions. Bradford Vivian / Made By History, TIME, 16 Aug. 2024 The Chameleons’ decades-long history includes three albums released between 1983 and 1986, a long breakup, three more albums between 2000 and 2002, another long breakup, a reformation in 2021 and new recordings this year. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 7 Aug. 2024 The protest movement that finally dethroned Suharto in 1998 was called reformasi, or reformation. Krithika Varagur, Foreign Affairs, 20 Dec. 2022 By the way, as a result of its reformations Japan went on to move through the classic stages of the Big Cycle. Ray Dalio, TIME, 25 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for reformation 

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

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reformation was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near reformation

Cite this Entry

“Reformation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reformation. Accessed 11 Sep. 2024.

Kids Definition

reformation

noun
ref·​or·​ma·​tion ˌref-ər-ˈmā-shən How to pronounce reformation (audio)
1
: the act of reforming : the state of being reformed
2
capitalized : a 16th century series of religious actions which led to establishment of the Protestant churches
reformational
-shnəl How to pronounce reformation (audio)
-shən-ᵊl
adjective

Legal Definition

reformation

noun
ref·​or·​ma·​tion ˌre-fər-ˈmā-shən How to pronounce reformation (audio)
: the act or an instance of reforming
specifically : the equitable remedy of reforming a writing (as a deed or contract) and enforcing it as reformed

Note: Reformation is allowed primarily to correct mistakes such as typographical errors or incorrectly chosen words. Occasionally reformation is permitted in cases of fraud or misrepresentation. Clear and convincing evidence of the mistake and of the intended agreement is usually required; sometimes parol evidence is sufficient to establish the agreement. This remedy is not applicable to wills.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!