Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Showing results for rethink. Search instead for Forethink.
Synonyms

rethink

American  
[ree-thingk, ree-thingk] / riˈθɪŋk, ˈriˌθɪŋk /

verb (used with or without object)

rethought, rethinking

  1. to reconsider, especially profoundly.

noun

  1. the act of reconsidering.

rethink British  

verb

  1. to think about (something) again, esp with a view to changing one's tactics or opinions

"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

noun

  1. the act or an instance of thinking again

"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

Other Word Forms

  • rethinker noun

Etymology

Origin of rethink

First recorded in 1690–1700; re- + think 1

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."

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

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.

Sandel and his colleagues said their findings encourage people to rethink what they know of human conflict and warfare.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

Ahmed brought the idea to rethink “Hamlet” with a South Asian British family to Lesslie, who has stripped down and streamlined Shakespeare’s play to the emotional essentials, while director Karia brings a gritty, stylish look.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 10, 2026

Meanwhile, homeowners are seeing a deduction on state and local taxes quadruple in its value, and now may need to rethink their strategy on the best way to cut their tax bill.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

With no certainty that jet fuel prices will return to pre-war lows, chief executives are having to rethink expansion plans and plane orders.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

The dot-com bust and the flattening of the world forced Glocer to rethink how Reuters delivered news—whether it could disaggregate the functions of a journalist and ship the low-value-added functions to India.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

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.