rekindle

American  

[ree-kin-dl] / riˈkɪn dl /

verb (used with object)

rekindled, rekindling

1. to excite, stir up, or rouse anew.

   efforts to rekindle their romance;

   comments that rekindled her anger.

2. to cause to begin burning again; ignite again.

   Never use gasoline to rekindle a fire.

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verb (used without object)

rekindled, rekindling

1. to begin to burn again; ignite again.

   She is worried about a fire rekindling.

rekindle British  

/ riːˈkɪndəl /

verb

1. to arouse or cause to be aroused again

   rekindle the romance in your relationship

2. to set alight or start to burn again

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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.

Example Sentences

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

Clearly they hoped she would rekindle the dying embers of the show.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 21, 2026

When she was later tempted to rekindle contact, Acheson would check in with Claude.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 5, 2026

China has shown a willingness to rekindle the relationship, with Xi telling Carney after their meeting that it has "shown a recovery" towards "the right track".

From Barron's • Jan. 15, 2026

To my dismay, Hassan kept trying to rekindle things between us.

From "The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

Related Words

• renew
• revitalize
• revive