rehash

American  

[ree-hash, ree-hash] / riˈhæʃ, ˈriˌhæʃ /

verb (used with object)

1. to work up (old material) in a new form.

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noun

1. the act of rehashing.

2. something rehashed.

rehash British  

verb

1. (tr) to rework, reuse, or make over (old or already used material)

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noun

1. something consisting of old, reworked, or reused material

Etymology

Origin of rehash

First recorded in 1815–25; re- + hash ¹

Explanation

When you rehash something, you use it again without altering or changing it much. Your favorite band's new album will be a disappointment if they just rehash all their old hits. Sometimes movie sequels are great films in their own right, but often they simply rehash the storyline, characters, and jokes from the original. You can call a movie like this a rehash. Another way to rehash is to go over something again, rethinking or reconsidering it: "She just wants to rehash that argument, trying to figure out why her friend got so angry."

Example Sentences

"He's taking Dior somewhere completely unprecedented. But I think he's exactly where he should be, since he's not there to rehash old ideas," Adrien Communier from GQ magazine in France told AFP.

From Barron's • Jan. 26, 2026

I like “organ recitals”—impromptu get-togethers where old people rehash their illnesses.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 18, 2025

But lawyers for the families of Letby's victims rubbished findings of the 14-strong international panel as "full of analytical holes" and "a rehash" of the defence case heard at trial.

From BBC • Apr. 2, 2025

The cold open of "Saturday Night Live" brought out one of the long-running series' former megastars to rehash a recent Cabinet fight between Elon Musk and Marco Rubio.

From Salon • Mar. 9, 2025

“I didn’t get it as a kid. I mean, nothing got resolved, necessarily, so I thought it was silly to just sit and rehash everything that was wrong with the world,” Maxine says.

From "Piecing Me Together" by Renée Watson

Related Words

• restate
• reuse