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.
“This is a monstrous record,” Robert Christgau wrote, while Rolling Stone said it was a “muddled-sounding, much-hyped attempt to realign Diamond with the rock audience.”
From Los Angeles Times ● May 6, 2026
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 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
In fiscal 2026, the company plans to realign its teams, strengthen partner relationships and rebalance its portfolio.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 18, 2025
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.
