rally
RA-lee
Rally (noun) means a large public gathering held to show support for a cause, person, or team. Example: “Hundreds of students gathered at the rally to support the campaign for cleaner rivers.”
noun
1
A large public gathering held to show support for a cause, person, or team.
"Hundreds of students gathered at the rally to support the campaign for cleaner rivers."
"Thousands attended the political rally downtown."
"Fans held a rally outside the stadium before the final."
2
A recovery in prices, values, or performance after a decline.
"After weeks of falling, the share price enjoyed a late rally in the afternoon."
"A rally in the pound gave exporters some welcome relief."
"Stocks staged a rally after the disappointing morning session."
3
A sequence of shots exchanged between players before a point is won, as in tennis.
"Their long rally ended when she hit the ball into the net."
"He won the point after a thrilling rally at the baseline."
"The two players fought through a twenty-stroke rally."
verb
1
To come together again, especially after being scattered or discouraged, in order to make a united effort.
"After the setback, the volunteers rallied and finished the clean-up before dark."
"The team rallied in the final quarter to snatch the win."
"Supporters rallied around the injured player's family."
How to use rally
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo come back together and regroup, a gathering in support of something, or a recovery after a drop.
Common pairings
hold a rally
stage a rally
rally support
market rally
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Word forms
- Plural
- rallies
- Third person singular
- rallies
- Past tense
- rallied
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Hundreds of students gathered at the _____ to support the campaign for cleaner rivers.
Etymology
From French rallier, from Old French ralier, made up of re- ("again") and allier ("to ally") — literally "to bind together again".
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for rally
See all rhymes for rally →Frequently asked questions
What does “rally” mean?
The word “rally” means a large public gathering held to show support for a cause, person, or team. In plain terms, to come back together and regroup, a gathering in support of something, or a recovery after a drop.
How do you pronounce “rally”?
“Rally” is pronounced RA-lee (/ˈɹæli/ in IPA).
How do you use “rally” in a sentence?
Here is “rally” used in a sentence: “Thousands attended the political rally downtown.”
What part of speech is “rally”?
Depending on how it is used, “rally” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “rally” come from?
The word “rally” comes from Old French. From French rallier, from Old French ralier, made up of re- ("again") and allier ("to ally") — literally "to bind together again".
Is “rally” a common word?
“Rally” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “rally” have?
“Rally” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a large public gathering held to show support for a cause, person, or team.
What is the difference between a rally and a protest?
A rally is a large public gathering held to show support for a cause, person, or team, so its tone is usually positive and unifying. A protest is held to object to something, so it expresses opposition rather than support.
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