realign
Britishverb
Explanation
When you realign something, you return it to a former position or place. If you break your arm roller skating, a doctor will have to set the bone, or realign it, before she puts on a cast. We realign things physically when we line them back up or restore them to a previous balance. The alignment on your car is what makes it drive straight — all four wheels should be perfectly lined up. If they're not, a mechanic can realign them. We can also realign things figuratively, like when a political party realigns itself, or attempts to line its positions up with what's important to voters.
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.
A surefire sign of a sports star who wants to achieve true greatness is the ability to recalibrate, realign and reach their next goal.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
The company is reducing and restructuring roles across the company to optimize operations and realign the company toward a new brand-centric operating model, a Mattel spokesperson told The Times.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 30, 2026
The Chinese government on Wednesday said Its exports exceeded imports by $1.19 trillion, up almost 20% year over year and demonstrating China’s ability to realign its export markets.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 14, 2026
European defense stocks are moving into the spotlight as geopolitics and fiscal priorities realign on both sides of the Atlantic.
From Barron's • Jan. 9, 2026
I freed a few bricks, preparing to realign the wall.
From "The Rock and the River" by Kekla Magoon
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.
