redirect
Americanverb (used with object)
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to direct again.
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to change the direction or focus of.
He redirected the children's energies toward building a sand castle instead of throwing sand at each other.
adjective
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of redirect
Explanation
When you redirect something, you point it in a different direction. If your dog keeps licking your friends' knees, you might have to redirect her attention to a squeaky toy. Beavers can famously redirect the flow of water in a stream or river by building dams that divert the flow in a new direction. The very best elementary school teachers are experts at redirecting the attention of young kids, like when a music teacher redirects a class's energy into an enthusiastic round of "Row, Row, Row Your Boat." The direct part of redirect comes from the Latin dirigere, "set straight."
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.
If investors can refocus their attention away from the Middle East then Haefele is confident they can redirect it towards the fundamentals that are underpinning the recent rally.
From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026
By evening, the student said the login process was updated to redirect users to a page that said Canvas was “undergoing scheduled maintenance.”
From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026
The development Wednesday paves the way for new revenue streams, which can help the company redirect its GLP-1 capacity toward other peptides and stem some of its current sunk costs.
From Barron's • Apr. 16, 2026
Consultants and other senior doctors deployed in A&E are able to assess quickly whether patients need urgent treatment or whether it is safe to redirect them to other community health services.
From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026
“The Director is off-site today. That’s why I was able to redirect a few things. But don’t think you’re safe. Not even with me by your side. Not for a second. Do you understand?”
From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed
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.
