rekindle

American  

[ree-kin-dl] / riˈkɪn dl /

verb (used with object)

• rekindles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• rekindled,
  past participle,  past
• rekindling
  present participle

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)

• rekindles,
  present (3rd person singular)
• rekindled,
  past participle,  past
• rekindling
  present participle

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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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• rekindling
  present
• rekindled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• rekindle
  simple
• rekindles
  simple
• have rekindled
  perfect
• has rekindled
  perfect
• am rekindling
  progressive
• are rekindling
  progressive
• is rekindling
  progressive
• have been rekindling
  perfect progressive
• has been rekindling
  perfect progressive

Past

• rekindled
  simple
• had rekindled
  perfect
• was rekindling
  progressive
• were rekindling
  progressive
• had been rekindling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will rekindle
  simple
• will have rekindled
  perfect
• will be rekindling
  progressive
• will have been rekindling
  perfect progressive

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

See Examples For:

rekindle rekindles rekindled rekindling

Without any winking irony or condescension to our ancient forebears in storytelling, the writer-director aims to rekindle our fascination with these oft-told tales: the Trojan Horse, the Sirens’ song, Scylla and Charybdis.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

"We should step back, take a longer-term view, and be inspired to rekindle the American Dream as a beacon of hope for America's next 250 years."

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

The fire that broke out last week at the Lineage cold storage facility has helped to rekindle calls for additional fire department funding.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 23, 2026

New surroundings can rekindle creativity, while embracing new technology can make some physical tasks easier.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 26, 2026

Inspired by Harriot Stanton Blatch, Paul wanted to use pageants and parades to rekindle interest in a federal amendment for women’s suffrage, as well as to influence members of Congress.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

Forward movement itself is the ingredient that rekindles energy and a sense of agency.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 3, 2026

She leaves her husband, moves into a predominantly Black neighborhood and rekindles an old passion for journalism.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2024

“The Bricklayer” is filled with throwback testosterone-fueled tropes: Vail rekindles a romance with a woman of questionable motives; he teaches Bannon the ropes; he’s an old dog whose old tricks still work.

From New York Times ● Apr. 19, 2024

This dish rekindles that memory, offering a grown-up take on the crusted white fish.

From Seattle Times ● Apr. 16, 2024

She pours the rest of the water into our new pot while Kim rekindles the fire by adding dry leaves and branches.

From "First They Killed My Father: A Daughter of Cambodia Remembers" by Loung Ung

Pershing Square CEO Bill Ackman, who stormed out of his Netflix investment a few years ago, has rekindled that old flame.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 13, 2026

This past week’s anemic employment report rekindled a burning question for the U.S. economy: How many new jobs does it actually need?

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 8, 2026

The move rekindled a long-running debate over food and religion in the world's most populous country, with critics accusing the government of trying to turn schoolchildren vegetarian.

From Barron's ● Jul. 30, 2026

When Stokes was away from the England team for the second Test, he played for Durham and said returning to his county rekindled a love for the game.

From BBC ● Jun. 28, 2026

Now that smell and those voices in the wind from the orchard brought with them the sign I was waiting for: the image of a rekindled wildness in Papa’s eyes.

From "Farewell to Manzanar" by Jeanne Houston

The blaze, later determined to be a rekindling of a week-old fire, swiftly spread out of control, destroying more than 6,800 structures in Pacific Palisades, Malibu and nearby areas.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026

After dropping below 6% for the first time since 2022 just prior to the start of the Iran war on Feb. 28, mortgage rates climbed last month as oil prices soared, rekindling inflation worries.

From MarketWatch ● Apr. 30, 2026

But it is also the avatar of a decadent Old World barely capable of maintaining the artifacts of its past, let alone rekindling its genius.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 27, 2026

But with so many difficulties to navigate, a full rekindling of the old relationship is unlikely - it is more realistically the start of a slow diplomatic thaw.

From BBC ● Jan. 28, 2026

She burned the old grass, rekindling the dead fire with one of her precious matches.

From "A Girl Named Disaster" by Nancy Farmer

Related Words

• renew
• revitalize
• revive