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Synonyms

redirect

American  
[ree-di-rekt, -dahy-] / ˌri dɪˈrɛkt, -daɪ- /

verb (used with object)

  • redirects,
    present (3rd person singular)
  • redirected,
    past participle,  past
  • redirecting
    present participle
  1. to direct again.

  2. to change the direction or focus of.

    He redirected the children's energies toward building a sand castle instead of throwing sand at each other.


adjective

  1. Law. pertaining to the examination of a witness by the party who called them, after cross-examination.

redirect British  
/ ˌriːdɪˈrɛkt, ˌriːdaɪ- /

verb

  1. to direct (someone or something) to a different place or by a different route

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Etymology

Origin of redirect

First recorded in 1835–45; re- + direct


Explanation

When you redirect something, you point it in a different direction. If your dog keeps licking your friends' knees, you might have to redirect her attention to a squeaky toy. Beavers can famously redirect the flow of water in a stream or river by building dams that divert the flow in a new direction. The very best elementary school teachers are experts at redirecting the attention of young kids, like when a music teacher redirects a class's energy into an enthusiastic round of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." The direct part of redirect comes from the Latin dirigere, "set straight."

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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.

See Examples For:

Growers cannot easily redirect fruit to alternative markets because importing countries have different phytosanitary requirements and consumer preferences, said Gerrit van der Merwe, the association's chairman.

From Barron's ● Nov. 2, 2026

Disrupting its function could potentially redirect fats into organs where they may cause harm.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 24, 2026

But I’d like to gently intercept your hand on the way there and redirect it toward wherever you keep your vinegar.

From Salon ● Oct. 5, 2026

That pushed Aramco to redirect more oil back toward Hormuz.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

In that same instant, the Sixer ground forces spotted Shoto, and sensing a much easier target, they began to redirect their fire at his avatar.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline

Slowing upfront model training doesn’t stop that loop, and arguably just redirects compute budgets elsewhere, the analysts say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

It may also depend on how the brain controls, redirects, or adapts its response to that pathology.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

Thompson, who gained notoriety for his role winning a rape conviction against Harvey Weinstein, purchased the rights to the domain name “patconnolly4judge.com,” which now redirects to one of the commission’s admonishments of Connolly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026

Microsoft shared that it’s sacrificing Azure growth as it redirects compute capacity internally to improve Copilot.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 9, 2026

It redirects our attention to the great source and fountainhead of human life.

From The Pivot of Civilization by Margaret Sanger

Earth's bow shock, in contrast, generally serves as the main region where the incoming solar wind is slowed and redirected.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 29, 2026

The ratings firm said company earnings would provide evidence of how effectively Saudi Arabian and U.A.E. producers have redirected exports amid disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 26, 2026

“I’d specifically look for $300- to $500-per-month expenses that can temporarily be redirected toward the cards,” La Spisa said.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 23, 2026

"There was poor preparation," said Gareth Tovey, executive council member for Wales, explaining they redirected specialist crews such as water teams to the wildfires.

From BBC ● Oct. 21, 2026

“It was. They redirected it here because of the storms. Didn’t they make an announcement?”

From "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman

Instead of simply redirecting incoming heat, a future cloak would need to concentrate, distribute, or guide thermal energy as conditions change.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 26, 2026

Kpler estimates that redirecting 3 million barrels a day of Saudi crude would require an additional 36 to 40 very large crude carriers under its base case.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026

You’ll be glad to know a lot you can do that does not involve dipping into your retirement funds, and/or redirecting valuable time and money away from your own family.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

The PM's spokesman insisted the policy would be funded by redirecting "savings" identified by departments to cover the cost of the ID scheme.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

“Ron, you’re making it snow,” said Hermione patiently, grabbing his wrist and redirecting his wand away from the ceiling from which, sure enough, large white flakes had started to fall.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

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