do-over
noun
an opportunity to do something again or repeat it, especially when it did not turn out well the first time.
do-over
American
[doo-oh-ver]
/ ˈduˌoʊ vər /
noun
-
do-overs
plural
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an opportunity to do something again or repeat it, especially when it did not turn out well the first time.
I wish I could have a do-over of the past five years of my life.
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a makeover, as a renovation or a beauty treatment: A do-over at the spa made me feel young again!
Enter the sweepstakes to win a full kitchen do-over with new granite countertops and stainless steel appliances.
A do-over at the spa made me feel young again!
do over
British
verb
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informal to renovate or redecorate
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slang to beat up; thrash
do over
Idioms
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Also, do something over.
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Also, do over again . Repeat something, as in This setup won't work; I'll have to do it over again .
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Redecorate, as in We've decided to do over the living room . [Early 1900s]
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of do-over
First recorded in 1890–95; noun use of verb phrase do over
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:
The do-over will cost Alabama taxpayers an estimated $4.4 million.
From Slate ● Aug. 14, 2026
So unabashed, in fact, that his earnestness makes a familiar allegory take on powerful new resonance, as if Spielberg were trying to convey that humanity can still have a do-over.
From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2026
For PSUS’s do-over listing, Ackman is sweetening the deal by giving those who participate in the fund IPO free shares in Pershing Square.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026
Patriots prodigy Drake Maye was left longing for a do-over after his first Super Bowl appearance ended in misery on Sunday.
From Barron's ● Feb. 9, 2026
Now that Supreme doesn’t have his shades on, I can finally see what I am to him: a do-over of my dad.
From "On the Come Up" by Angie Thomas
You should also know that first-day action is not a great predictor of how a stock will do over the long term.
From MarketWatch ● May 12, 2026
Fed Chair Jerome Powell seemed to indicate that the he would defer to nominee Fed chair Kevin Warsh—likely to take over before the June meeting—about what to do over the language.
From Barron's ● May 1, 2026
She understands there is an opportunity to stake her claim in the side and wants to show what she can do over the next few weeks.
From BBC ● Mar. 1, 2026
“Additionally, because concertina coils are rigid and stay under tension, they don’t ‘sag’ or create the loose, invisible snares that single-strand wires often do over time, which helps reduce the risk of accidental wildlife entanglement.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 1, 2026
Everyone asked, “What did you do over the summer?”
From "Frindle" by Andrew Clements
There’s no do-overs in the stock market, but with a fresh start, Phreesia could still prove to be a winner in 2026.
From Barron's ● Dec. 22, 2025
“It is a very well-established legal principle in this country that prevents do-overs by disappointed litigants,” Kaplan told the lawyers on the day Trump testified in the second trial.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 27, 2024
In some cases, Pitchfork has opted for do-overs.
From New York Times ● Jan. 17, 2024
But every athlete knows that when it comes to the big game, there are no do-overs.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2023
This summer with more do-overs than I can count gives me hope that the four of us will figure it out.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
