rehire
Americanverb (used with object)
noun
-
an act or instance of engaging someone’s services for payment a second or subsequent time.
A transfer within the group of related companies is considered continuous employment, not a termination and a rehire.
-
a person whose services have been engaged for payment a second or subsequent time.
Rehires are eligible to have their retirement benefits reinstated after a 30-day waiting period.
Etymology
Origin of rehire
First recorded in 1760–70; re- ( def. ) + hire ( def. )
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It is almost always cheaper to retain and reskill employees than to fire and later rehire them.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026
Some that pared their human workforces in favor of AI bots have had to rehire fired workers, according to Forrester Research.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
Brewdog has been criticised for asking staff to reapply for their jobs, in what a union has described as a "fire and rehire" scheme.
From BBC ● Mar. 21, 2026
It cannot instantly rehire workers who found other jobs.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 19, 2026
“Interesting theory, Patricia. But please rehire your custodian. Immediately. I, for one, don’t enjoy the fragrant aromas of ripe garbage and raw sewage.”
From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.