rekindle
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to excite, stir up, or rouse anew.
efforts to rekindle their romance;
comments that rekindled her anger.
-
to cause to begin burning again; ignite again.
Never use gasoline to rekindle a fire.
verb (used without object)
verb
-
to arouse or cause to be aroused again
rekindle the romance in your relationship
-
to set alight or start to burn again
Etymology
Origin of rekindle
First recorded in 1590–1600; re- ( def. ) + kindle 1 ( def. )
Explanation
Use the verb rekindle when you're trying to get something started again, like a fire or a romance. If your campfire goes out while you're getting the marshmallows out of your tent, you'll want to rekindle it. Likewise, if you've lost touch with a childhood friend, you might try to rekindle your relationship when you meet again as adults. Re means "again," and kindle means "start a fire," probably from the Old Norse kynda, "to light a fire." Rekindle has been used in the figurative sense from around 1300.
Vocabulary lists containing rekindle
President Trump's Second State of the Union Address (2019)
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"Frankenstein"
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Loser
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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.
What’s more, higher-for-longer energy prices could rekindle worries about a hard landing for the economy, he said.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 2, 2026
But it’s “the physical action of showing up,” the effort McCarthy makes to rekindle languishing friendships that goes a long way in proving just how much these friendships mean.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 25, 2026
The central question for BofA economists Xiaoqing Pi and Helen Qiao: “How policymakers intend to rekindle domestic demand-both in investment and consumption,” the duo write in a note to clients.
From Barron's • Mar. 4, 2026
As protests rekindle across Iran’s universities and an American fleet builds up offshore, Iranians are girding themselves for the chaos and violence that might unfold if the ruling regime is actually brought down.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026
Some word from him that would rekindle the dream and stop the death they were dying.
From "Song of Solomon" by Toni Morrison
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.
