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.
"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
"Our findings could help geologists reinterpret other ancient continental interiors where similarly large gaps occur in records, offering a better understanding of how Earth's continents have changed over hundreds of millions of years."
From Science Daily ● Aug. 21, 2026
He spoke the language of “affordability” with a relentless rhetorical focus on the issue while offering something more profound to voters: permission to reinterpret disappointment as injustice.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 30, 2025
Some noteworthy exclusives include a series of black dresses and jackets that reinterpret the iconic Bar jacket with each being a one-of-a-kind creation, thus ensuring the ultimate unique find.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 10, 2025
Some evolutionary scientists will be dogmatic at times, but they return to their laboratories and proceed to reinterpret what they have assumed, so that their dogmatism is of short duration.
From History of Human Society by Frank W. (Frank Wilson) Blackmar
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
