rekindle
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to excite, stir up, or rouse anew.
efforts to rekindle their romance;
comments that rekindled her anger.
-
to cause to begin burning again; ignite again.
Never use gasoline to rekindle a fire.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to arouse or cause to be aroused again
rekindle the romance in your relationship
-
to set alight or start to burn again
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
rekindlesimple
-
rekindlessimple
-
have rekindledperfect
-
has rekindledperfect
-
am rekindlingprogressive
-
are rekindlingprogressive
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is rekindlingprogressive
-
have been rekindlingperfect progressive
-
has been rekindlingperfect progressive
Past
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rekindledsimple
-
had rekindledperfect
-
was rekindlingprogressive
-
were rekindlingprogressive
-
had been rekindlingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rekindle
First recorded in 1590–1600; re- ( def. ) + kindle 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Use the verb rekindle when you're trying to get something started again, like a fire or a romance. If your campfire goes out while you're getting the marshmallows out of your tent, you'll want to rekindle it. Likewise, if you've lost touch with a childhood friend, you might try to rekindle your relationship when you meet again as adults. Re means "again," and kindle means "start a fire," probably from the Old Norse kynda, "to light a fire." Rekindle has been used in the figurative sense from around 1300.
Vocabulary lists containing rekindle
President Trump's Second State of the Union Address (2019)
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"Frankenstein"
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Loser
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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:
The fire that broke out last week at the Lineage cold storage facility has helped to rekindle calls for additional fire department funding.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026
The party also wants an annual "national action day" to help "rekindle civic pride" and more action to tackle littering connected to fast food outlets.
From BBC ● Jun. 10, 2026
The Italian label is pursuing a revamp strategy under a new executive and creative leadership, in an effort to rekindle consumer appetite for its designs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026
What’s more, higher-for-longer energy prices could rekindle worries about a hard landing for the economy, he said.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 2, 2026
Inspired by Harriot Stanton Blatch, Paul wanted to use pageants and parades to rekindle interest in a federal amendment for women’s suffrage, as well as to influence members of Congress.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
Forward movement itself is the ingredient that rekindles energy and a sense of agency.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026
“I encountered six to eight rekindles during my career and each time the local battalion chiefs showed up to try and convince the investigators it was arson.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 1, 2025
During the inaugural season at Memorial Stadium, Sounders players handed out carnations to fans after matches and the secondary logo rekindles that bond.
From Seattle Times ● Sep. 26, 2023
"Going up against Steve rekindles a great rivalry which first started in our days competing in Super Rugby and progressed into the international arena," added Jones.
From BBC ● Dec. 13, 2022
She pours the rest of the water into our new pot while Kim rekindles the fire by adding dry leaves and branches.
From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung
U.S. stocks fell Thursday as global oil prices topped $100 a barrel and tech earnings rekindled fears over artificial-intelligence spending.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
At a time when Waymo’s impressive success and the advent of AI have rekindled excitement about everything driverless, Monarch’s failure to disrupt has become another cautionary tale about massive bets on the latest tech.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 15, 2026
They rekindled their friendship and began their relationship two years ago.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
The high number of climbers has rekindled concerns about overcrowding on the mountain -- especially if poor weather shortens the climbing window.
From Barron's ● May 22, 2026
In the morning he rekindled the fire and they ate and watched the shore.
From "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy
After dropping below 6% for the first time since 2022 just prior to the start of the Iran war on Feb. 28, mortgage rates climbed last month as oil prices soared, rekindling inflation worries.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 30, 2026
The episode, far from rekindling a sibling bond, turned out to be a bookend in the two brothers’ relationship.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 11, 2026
But with so many difficulties to navigate, a full rekindling of the old relationship is unlikely - it is more realistically the start of a slow diplomatic thaw.
From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2026
But the comeback isn’t so much about rekindling that past as it is about shoring up the present.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2025
It lit the forge the smith was rekindling after four days of cold metal work.
From "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss
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.
