reinterpret
Britishverb
Other Word Forms
Explanation
If you re-examined the meaning of something and found something new or different, you reinterpreted it. You thought that when Brian said, "I love you," he meant as a friend, but you may want to reinterpret the meaning of those words since he bought you a diamond ring. The verb reinterpret also means to re-explain or interpret from a different point of view. Each year, historians try to reinterpret the primary source material in historical cases. For example, in 1892, Lizzie Borden's father and step-mother were killed with an ax. Lizzie was acquitted. Did she commit the crime? Well, historians examine and reexamine the evidence and interpret it and reinterpret it. Some think she did it and some think she was innocent. We may never know.
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.
The relative calm after the Cold War inspired a trend to reinterpret the American past.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026
The goal is not merely to reinterpret Rosa Parks.
From Salon • May 20, 2026
A group of racially diverse artists invited to reinterpret a touring British Museum collection with links to slavery have raised issues around payment, representation and emotional support.
From BBC • Aug. 30, 2024
"With this work, we'll be able to examine the chemistry of early oceans and reinterpret parts of the geological record."
From Science Daily • Jun. 1, 2024
With a less thorough-going intellectualism other scholars reinterpret Christianity in terms of current scientific phraseology.
From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 6, Slice 3 "Chitral" to "Cincinnati" by Various
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.
