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Synonyms

recalibrate

American  
[ree-kal-uh-breyt] / riˈkæl əˌbreɪt /

verb (used with or without object)

recalibrated, recalibrating

  1. to correct or adjust the gradations or settings on (a measuring instrument, sensor, or other piece of precision equipment).

    If your battery fuel gauge is still inaccurate after following these steps, you may need to manually recalibrate the gauge.

  2. to reexamine (one’s thinking, a plan, a system of values, etc.) and correct it in accord with a new understanding or purpose.

    This is a government that's out of touch and refusing to recalibrate after getting a clear message from voters.

Etymology

Origin of recalibrate

re- ( def. ) + calibrate ( def. )

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.

“With markets expected to remain challenged, we have made the decision to recalibrate the dividend to better position the company to thrive once markets recover.”

From Barron's • Feb. 20, 2026

In retirement, people should recalibrate their budgeting and spending on an ongoing basis and conduct annual check-ups, Mangaliman said.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 9, 2026

Mohammad Touhid Hossain, foreign affairs adviser to Yunus, says India failed to recalibrate, missing a chance to reset ties with the interim government.

From BBC • Feb. 8, 2026

Earnings season has demonstrated that company fundamentals remain healthy, and the recent selloff has helped recalibrate valuations, notes Clark Bellin, chief investment officer of Bellwether Wealth.

From Barron's • Feb. 6, 2026

‘If we make the damage too obvious, we’ll never get to the other ones in time. Can you recalibrate the aim - like, towards the other onagers’ firing lines?’

From "Blood of Olympus" by Rick Riordan

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.