retelling

American  

[ree-tel-ing] / riˈtɛl ɪŋ /

noun

1. a new, and often updated or retranslated, version of a story.

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Etymology

Origin of retelling

First recorded in 1635–45; re- + tell ¹ + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

Their retelling imagines the star-crossed lovers meeting later in life, repositioning the story from a perspective of age and experience, with the title characters aged in their 40s.

From BBC • Mar. 16, 2026

I don’t know whether or not he is a narcissist, but from your retelling, he is someone who has always looked out for himself.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026

As such, it’s a story that deserves retelling, and it gets it in “Miracle: The Boys of ’80.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

And Percival Everett’s novel “James,” a retelling of Huckleberry Finn, took the lion’s share of the literary prizes in 2024, including the Pulitzer.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 5, 2026

Professor Trelawney seemed to consider the matter for a moment, but Harry could tell that she liked the idea of retelling her little adventure.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

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