redefine
Britishverb
Explanation
Redefine means to "give new meaning to." A really fantastic song might redefine what rock and roll can mean to people. A great muffin might redefine the idea of what a muffin can be. Technically, redefine means to define again or differently––to give a new meaning. As a basketball player, Michael Jordan redefined the jump shot––it became something much more common and much more aggressively taken. By turning the packaging design of Campbell's soup into paintings, Andy Warhol redefined art.
Vocabulary lists containing redefine
President Trump's Second State of the Union Address (2019)
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Should girls be allowed to join the boy scouts? 10 Vocab Words
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This Week in Words: Current Events Vocabulary for March 4–March 10, 2023
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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.
Environmentalists legally challenged the new regulation, which authorizes provincial governments to redefine protected areas as a way to expand mining activity.
From Barron's • Jun. 15, 2026
"A true trailblazer for women in film and one of the most influential editors in cinematic history; she helped redefine what film editing could be."
From BBC • May 30, 2026
For supporters, the effort represents a long-promised attempt to tighten immigration controls and redefine American citizenship more narrowly.
From Salon • May 24, 2026
Chicago was able to redefine its image from a gritty second city to a cultural and architectural hub after defeating New York’s bid for the 1893 exposition.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 16, 2026
The problem lies in getting yourself out of Christmas, because when you come out of it, you have to redefine the lines between reality and imagination.
From "Made You Up" by Francesca Zappia
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.
