rekindle
Americanverb (used with object)
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to excite, stir up, or rouse anew.
efforts to rekindle their romance;
comments that rekindled her anger.
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to cause to begin burning again; ignite again.
Never use gasoline to rekindle a fire.
verb (used without object)
verb
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to arouse or cause to be aroused again
rekindle the romance in your relationship
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to set alight or start to burn again
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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rekindlesimple
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rekindlessimple
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have rekindledperfect
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has rekindledperfect
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am rekindlingprogressive
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are rekindlingprogressive
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is rekindlingprogressive
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have been rekindlingperfect progressive
-
has been rekindlingperfect progressive
Past
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rekindledsimple
-
had rekindledperfect
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was rekindlingprogressive
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were rekindlingprogressive
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had been rekindlingperfect progressive
Future
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.
Meanwhile, the 7-word initial pitch for the new media entity is simple: “Sign up. Stay current. Rekindle your passion,” the Messenger advises.
From Washington Times • May 3, 2023
Bad idea: Rekindle an old flame anywhere in California.
From Washington Post • Oct. 21, 2021
Rekindle your romance by getting out of the house for an old-fashioned date.
From Time • Mar. 5, 2014
Rekindle the spirits of old �friend�, or begin new with the inspiration of this timeless necessity.
From Time Magazine Archive
True worship strengthens in the wake of years; Its song grows rhythmal with repeated chant; Its beauty lingers, though it disappears; Rekindle, and it melts the adamant.
From Montezuma An Epic on the Origin and Fate of the Aztec Nation by Richmond, Hiram Hoyt
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.
