recalibrate
Americanverb (used with or without object)
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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.
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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
Explanation
To recalibrate is to adjust the settings on a device that precisely measures, senses, or moves. You might have to recalibrate your thermostat in order for it to accurately tell you how hot or cold it is in your apartment. When a precision instrument is first set up, it's finely adjusted to be as accurate as possible, a process called calibration. Whenever it needs fine-tuning, someone must recalibrate it, bringing it back to accuracy. This is true for scientific instruments, bathroom scales, barometers, and more. If your baking scale seems off, you may want to recalibrate it. This word is from calibrate, originally "determine the caliber of," a reference to measuring the inside of a gun barrel."
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
“Time to recalibrate my gradient on the big picture,” one co-founder wrote to announce his last day.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026
Qatar has navigated strains before, including a yearslong blockade by neighboring states that forced it to draw on sovereign reserves, maintain liquidity and recalibrate regional ties.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 6, 2026
“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,” said CEO Peter Vanacker.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 20, 2026
She just had to quickly recalibrate her ambitions.
From "The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates" by Wes Moore
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.
