Synonyms

rephrase

American

[ree-freyz] / riˈfreɪz /

verb (used with object)

to phrase again or differently.

He rephrased the statement to give it less formality.

rephrase British

/ riːˈfreɪz /

verb

(tr) to phrase again, esp so as to express more clearly

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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Etymology

Origin of rephrase

First recorded in 1890–95; re- + phrase

Explanation

To rephrase something is to say it again, in a slightly different way. You might rephrase your question if the person you're asking doesn't understand it the first time. You might want to rephrase something to clarify a statement, adjust your ideas to fit your audience, or try not to offend the person you're talking to. A salesman might rephrase his pitch if he's not having much success selling encyclopedias, and an author might rephrase material from a book so that the kindergartners she's talking to will understand her. The word combines the prefix re-, "again," and phrase, from the Greek phrasis, or "speech."

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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.

Rephrase the words of the person who spoke before you so they know you were listening.”

From Washington Post • Sep. 26, 2021

Rephrase, perhaps by using “Republicans are” in the first clause.

From New York Times • Nov. 11, 2014

Rephrase, perhaps using the plural throughout: “But customers who detect something suspicious … should contact.”

From New York Times • Oct. 14, 2014

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023