paraphrase
Americannoun
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paraphrases
plural
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a restatement of a text or passage giving the meaning in another form, as for clearness; rewording.
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the act or process of restating or rewording.
verb (used with object)
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paraphrases,
present (3rd person singular)
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paraphrased,
past participle, past
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paraphrasing
present participle
verb (used without object)
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paraphrases,
present (3rd person singular)
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paraphrased,
past participle, past
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paraphrasing
present participle
noun
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an expression of a statement or text in other words, esp in order to clarify
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the practice of making paraphrases
verb
Usage
What does paraphrase mean? A paraphrase is a restatement of a text in your own words while giving credit to the person who originated the thought. For example, President Franklin D. Roosevelt said, “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” You might paraphrase it in an essay by writing, “To paraphrase FDR, we have nothing to be afraid of, and we can’t let fear hold us back.”To paraphrase means to restate something in your own words. You might paraphrase complicated information in order to make it easier for your audience to understand. You also might paraphrase something when you can’t remember or can’t verify the exact wording. It’s important to remember that you still need to credit the originator of the statement you’re paraphrasing. Example: If you cannot remember the exact quote, you can paraphrase with precise detail.
Synonym Usage
See translation.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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paraphrasernoun
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misparaphraseverb
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paraphrasableadjective
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paraphrasticadjective
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unparaphrasedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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paraphrasesimple
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paraphrasessimple
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have paraphrasedperfect
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has paraphrasedperfect
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am paraphrasingprogressive
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are paraphrasingprogressive
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is paraphrasingprogressive
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have been paraphrasingperfect progressive
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has been paraphrasingperfect progressive
Past
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paraphrasedsimple
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had paraphrasedperfect
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was paraphrasingprogressive
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were paraphrasingprogressive
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had been paraphrasingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of paraphrase
First recorded in 1540–50; from Middle French, from Latin paraphrasis, from Greek paráphrasis; para- 1 + phrase
Explanation
The verb paraphrase means to sum something up or clarify a statement by rephrasing it. So to paraphrase that explanation, it means to say something in other, simpler words. If you break paraphrase down, you end up with the prefix para, meaning "beside," and the word phrase — so think of paraphrase as coming up with similar, more simple phrases that go beside the ones already said. You might paraphrase your teacher’s lesson because you want to simplify her complicated technical language, or because you forgot exactly what she said but remember the general meaning.
Vocabulary lists containing paraphrase
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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Vocabulary of the Common Core
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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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:
To paraphrase Eric Cantona, you can change most things in life but never your football team.
From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026
To paraphrase Stephen Miller, surely the most instrumental figure in the Trump White House, the only thing that matters is power.
From Salon ● Jul. 26, 2026
To paraphrase the Diana Ross hit of the time, did we know where we were going to?
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2026
After considering that last point, another paraphrase comes to mind, an adaptation of Pogo’s famous line: “We have met the tech sector, and he is us.”
From Barron's ● May 29, 2026
So I'll paraphrase it for you: Me: "This is obviously a clog. How about I take it apart and check the internal tubing?"
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
Early in the book, Justice Kennedy paraphrases long conversations with family, friends and mentors.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2025
The extent of duplication varies between passages, but all contain multiple identical phrases, as well as clear paraphrases and significant structural similarity.
From Science Magazine ● Apr. 9, 2024
Numa dies clutching a piece of paper that paraphrases John 15:13 in the Bible: “No hay amor más grande que el que de la vida por sus amigos.”
From Salon ● Jan. 23, 2024
Helena paraphrases the “Wizard of Oz,” saying: “Pay no attention to the pins behind the curtain.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 21, 2023
"If it were a book of psalms and paraphrases, they might be of another mind," Judith said; but Prudence would not hear.
From Judith Shakespeare Her love affairs and other adventures by William Black
As paraphrased by Vogue, Anastasia says the tins are “all about reinventing the ordinary” into “something special and bespoke.”
From Salon ● May 17, 2026
When the conversation turned to his legacy, Powell paraphrased the opening of Frank Sinatra’s My Way.
From Barron's ● Mar. 30, 2026
In the latter portions of the book, though, paraphrased conversations raise real questions—especially his conversations with Scalia, whom he recalls as a great friend, which is no doubt true.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2025
Smith paraphrased his reaction to LeBron’s efforts to make sure Bronny was drafted so they could play together, saying, “‘C’mon man, this is the situation you are putting him in.’
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 7, 2025
The italicized language in the description of the referenced exchange is paraphrased, not directly quoted.
From "Educated" by Tara Westover
“But,” Woodward and Costa write, as if paraphrasing Graham’s thoughts, “there was no changing him. You just kept the conversation going.”
From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026
For many it’s a deal breaker—I’m paraphrasing from more strongly worded protests.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 11, 2026
“They said they would come,” Enguidanos said, paraphrasing a typical response, “and they just didn’t show up.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 25, 2026
“We live in a country where we don’t ask what we can do for our country,” Booker said, paraphrasing President John F. Kennedy.
From Salon ● Apr. 3, 2025
Bacon writes of ‘the law of nature and the mutual contracts of things’: he is paraphrasing Lucretius.
From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton
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.
