reinterpret

British  

/ ˌriːɪnˈtɜːprɪt /

verb

1. to interpret (an idea, etc) in a new or different way

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Other Word Forms

• reinterpretation
  noun

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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

See Examples For:

reinterpret

"Ants, for example, this year are only available for customers who specifically ask to try them," said Atala, whose Sao Paulo restaurant D.O.M. plucks ingredients from the Amazonian wilderness to reinterpret Indigenous traditions.

From Barron's ● Sep. 26, 2026

The goal is not merely to reinterpret Rosa Parks.

From Salon ● May 20, 2026

Mr. Millepied’s urge to reinterpret for contemporary audiences Prokofiev’s often heavy-going score, which the composer created under the thumb of Soviet censors, seems more than understandable.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 9, 2026

But Disney in recent years has been attempting to reinterpret how a ride system can be used.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 11, 2024

Even her nobler motives she tended to reinterpret from some cynical point of view.

From What Will People Say? A novel by Rupert Hughes

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