reinvent
Americanverb (used with object)
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to invent again or anew, especially without knowing that the invention already exists.
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to remake or make over, as in a different form.
At 60, he reinvented himself as a volunteer. We have an opportunity to reinvent government.
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to bring back; revive.
to reinvent trust and accountability.
verb
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to replace (a product, etc) with an entirely new version
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to duplicate (something that already exists) in what is therefore a wasted effort (esp in the phrase reinvent the wheel )
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of reinvent
Explanation
To reinvent something is to completely change or remake it so thoroughly that it seems brand new. The driverless car is going to reinvent the way people think about driving. When the earliest movies with sound were released, it seemed to reinvent film. And, when libraries started incorporating more technology and getting rid of card catalogs, they reinvented research. You can also literally reinvent something, by bringing it back: "They plan to reinvent their grandmother's lost recipe for homemade root beer." To "reinvent the wheel" means to do something redundantly — to waste time on something that's already been done.
Vocabulary lists containing reinvent
Words for a New Year
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Selection Vocabulary 4, Unit 5
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The Wrong Way Home
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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.
Brittin said the BBC had "proved throughout its history how quickly it can reinvent itself to serve the needs of audiences".
From Barron's • May 18, 2026
It seems like you’re using Cannes as a moment to pivot or reinvent yourself.
From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026
But neither Mandava, nor the brands she represents, seems to want to dramatically reinvent her to fit that story.
From BBC • May 9, 2026
GameStop has puzzled the market with its ambitious bid to reinvent its business by acquiring eBay for $55.5 billion.
From MarketWatch • May 4, 2026
And those shared assumptions are usually pretty conservative: we don’t reinvent the world from scratch every time we float a theory.
From "Words Like Loaded Pistols" by Sam Leith
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.
