reinvent the wheel

Idioms  

1. Do something again, from the beginning, especially in a needless or inefficient effort, as in School committees need not reinvent the wheel every time they try to improve the curriculum. This expression alludes to the invention of a simple but very important device that requires no improvement. [Second half of 1900s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

reinvent the wheel

All book adaptations, whether from novels or memoirs, could stand to embellish the facts here and there, or go ahead and reinvent the wheel when possible.

From Salon ● Aug. 12, 2026

“Third album, you know, it’s like, How do you reinspire yourself? How do you reinvent the wheel? How do you keep it fresh? But it just didn’t end up shaking out that way.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2024

When the Englishman, who had been the side's defensive specialist since 2016, took on the job from his former boss Schmidt after the 2019 World Cup, there was no abrupt attempt to reinvent the wheel.

From BBC ● Jul. 15, 2024

“China does not seek to change the current international order, still less reinvent the wheel by creating a new international order,” Liu said.

From Seattle Times ● Jan. 12, 2024

The writer/director Yadhu Krishnan’s film isn’t out to reinvent the wheel.

From New York Times ● Jun. 16, 2023