rethink
Americanverb (used with or without object)
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rethinks,
present (3rd person singular)
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rethought,
past participle, past
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rethinking
present participle
noun
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rethinks
plural
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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rethinksimple
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rethinkssimple
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have rethoughtperfect
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has rethoughtperfect
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am rethinkingprogressive
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are rethinkingprogressive
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is rethinkingprogressive
-
have been rethinkingperfect progressive
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has been rethinkingperfect progressive
Past
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rethoughtsimple
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had rethoughtperfect
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was rethinkingprogressive
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were rethinkingprogressive
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had been rethinkingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of rethink
Explanation
When you rethink, you consider something again, often reaching the opposite conclusion. You'll rethink your decision to go bungee jumping as soon as you're standing at the top of a tall bridge getting ready to jump. You'll have to rethink your usual two A.M. bedtime after you get a new job making donuts at five every morning. A kindergarten teacher might also need to rethink his laid-back teaching style when he's faced with an especially high-energy class. You can also use rethink as a noun: "I need to have a quick rethink about what I'll have for lunch, since the cafeteria is out of French fries."
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.
See Examples For:
When that happens, companies tend to rethink their borrowing needs, which can result in a pullback in bond issuance or more issuance for shorter periods of 10 years or less, King noted.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 3, 2026
On the rare occasions when Erskine could find McCarthy, he pressed the author to rethink his arcane vocabulary choices.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Professor Bundgaard believes the findings could provide an opportunity to rethink how cardiovascular prevention is carried out.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 1, 2026
In terms of the knock-on impact the high costs are having on her own family, Jeffers said she has had to rethink whether to send her children to after school activities.
From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2026
“Now? Seriously, Kyle, we may need to rethink your status as team captain.”
From "Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library" by Chris Grabenstein
AI adoption has, at times, also shown signs of running up against roadblocks, as OpenAI reportedly rethinks the way it works with retailers following hiccups in bot-assisted checkout features.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 6, 2026
With his business in shambles, Randy rethinks his strategy with the help of an over-complimentary AI chatbot.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2025
We applied those lessons to this recipe from our book “The New Rules,” which rethinks familiar dishes to change the way you cook.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 5, 2023
Companies have added some safeguards over the years, Elgersma noted, but these are piecemeal changes, not fundamental rethinks of the services.
From Seattle Times ● May 4, 2023
What his tribe speaks he repeats; but he does not simply echo their words, he rethinks them.
From A Grammar of Freethought by Chapman Cohen
Just as nations dramatically rethought energy policy after the oil crises of the 1970s, a disruption of this scale will force governments around the world to rethink energy strategy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 16, 2026
The Liberal Democrats said the situation is "appalling" and the whole system needs to be "rethought".
From BBC ● Feb. 22, 2026
At some point, agents will outnumber people by a lot, and security practices built around humans will have to be rethought.
From Barron's ● Jan. 22, 2026
At the same time, Lloyd Webber has rethought his business model.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 10, 2025
The radical design makes it clear that Wright had completely rethought the purpose of an art museum.
From "History of Art, Volume 1" by H.W. Janson
Today’s parents are used to tracking their kids’ every move but some are rethinking that approach and setting them loose outdoors—with some supervision.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
It can also mean rethinking the culture of the kitchen itself.
From Salon ● Sep. 27, 2026
One regent signaled he is rethinking his own vote.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
Now Wall Street is rethinking what the Fed will do.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 15, 2026
“I know I’ve looked in that chamber before,” he said calmly, rethinking his moves.
From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos
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.
