redirect

American  

[ree-di-rekt, -dahy-] / ˌri dɪˈrɛkt, -daɪ- /

verb (used with object)

1. to direct again.

2. 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.

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adjective

1. Law. pertaining to the examination of a witness by the party who called them, after cross-examination.

redirect British  

/ ˌriːdaɪ-, ˌriːdɪˈrɛkt /

verb

1. to direct (someone or something) to a different place or by a different route

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Other Word Forms

• redirection noun

Etymology

Origin of redirect

First recorded in 1835–45; re- + direct

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

She and other socialist candidates recently appeared in the Inland Empire, where she vowed to redirect resources toward education, housing and healthcare.

From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026

Perhaps one day games will redirect whatever dark impulses we apparently need to release in war, but they are a long way from doing so.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 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

Taiwan, with a similar reliance on imports, said it will also redirect ships to bring crude from Saudi Red Sea ports.

From Barron's • Apr. 6, 2026

With all the county’s water mains on emergency shutdown, and endless glitches in the computers trying to redirect what water is left, he’s been transporting water manually to high-priority facilities.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman

Related Words

• change
• convert
• move
• return
• shift
• swing
• switch
• transform
• twist