revise
Americanverb (used with object)
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revises,
present (3rd person singular)
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revised,
past participle, past
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revising
present participle
noun
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an act of revising.
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a revised form of something; revision.
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Printing. a proof sheet taken after alterations have been made, for further examination or correction.
verb
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(tr) to change, alter, or amend
to revise one's opinion
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to reread (a subject or notes on it) so as to memorize it, esp in preparation for an examination
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(tr) to prepare a new version or edition of (a previously printed work)
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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revisabilitynoun
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revisalnoun
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revisernoun
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revisornoun
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prereviseverb (used with object)
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revisableadjective
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revisibleadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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revisesimple
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revisessimple
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have revisedperfect
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has revisedperfect
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am revisingprogressive
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are revisingprogressive
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is revisingprogressive
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have been revisingperfect progressive
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has been revisingperfect progressive
Past
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revisedsimple
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had revisedperfect
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was revisingprogressive
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were revisingprogressive
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had been revisingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of revise
First recorded in 1560–70; from Latin revīsere “to look back at, revisit,” frequentative of revidēre “to see again”; see review
Explanation
To revise means to alter or improve a preliminary draft of something, usually a text. When you want your writing to be really great, you must revise it several times until it is perfect. The word revise sounds like the related word revisit, and revising a piece of work does in fact require revisiting it. Planning out a project includes estimating how much it will cost and when it will be done. If something unforeseen happens, you might have to revise your estimates of cost and completion date. You can also use revise as a noun. Once you finish the first draft of an essay, you can begin working on the revise.
Vocabulary lists containing revise
Jim Burke's Academic Vocabulary List
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TEKS ELAR Academic Vocabulary List (5th-7th grades)
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Common Senses: Vid, Vis ("See")
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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.
See Examples For:
My grandmother now wants to revise her will to include my sister, her five great-grandchildren, my sister-in-law, and me.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 20, 2026
“It’s well past time to review, revise and maybe even repeal it.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 17, 2026
A legislature can summon everyone a rule will touch, balance competing interests and revise the law as the evidence turns.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 19, 2026
Sir Keir's decision to publish the DIP in his final weeks as prime minister could cause tension with his successor, who may want to revise defence spending when they take over.
From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2026
There is no way of sending a faster message to overtake them and revise the previous transmission.
From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan
A document one side signs alone and revises by social media post is not an agreement; it is a memorandum of intentions.
From Slate ● Aug. 10, 2026
Partridge revises it to three, but Brown is still not having it.
From BBC ● Jun. 27, 2026
S&P revises its outlook for Blackstone Secured Lending to stable from positive, citing lower financial flexibility and deterioration in asset quality.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 2, 2026
Moody’s revises its outlook on the lender’s long-term deposit ratings to positive from stable.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 21, 2026
Not to be outdone, JB revises the bet: Okay, he says.
From "The Crossover" by Kwame Alexander
According to the BBC’s own filings, Donald Jr. and Ivanka were in the room while the speech was being revised and were present when it was delivered.
From Salon ● Aug. 18, 2026
It has since been revised by a stakeholder group of farmers, agri-food representatives, conservationists and environmental groups.
From BBC ● Aug. 14, 2026
Statistics Canada also revised its May data to indicate shipments rose by a faster 1.6%, versus the earlier estimate of a 1.3% gain.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
When later pressed by the Journal, Walker revised his timeline, saying it arrived the previous morning.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
A few days ago, Mr. Washburn was issued revised orders to vacate the compound and have no further dealings with any dissident elements.
From "Before We Were Free" by Julia Alvarez
This strategy of testing the law and institutions, then losing, and then revising and trying again until the barrier is broken or sufficiently bent to exploit, is not coincidental.
From Salon ● Jul. 9, 2026
Even Italy’s prime minister conceded she was revising her view of the American president.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 6, 2026
Another key is revising a 1974 law to allow manufactured homes to be built without a permanent chassis, they said.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 22, 2026
"I'm pretty free range," said mother Deng Ju, standing across from the exam hall holding a stack of practice books for her daughter, revising last minute with her friend nearby.
From Barron's ● Jun. 7, 2026
In his head he was revising the letter to Kiowa’s father.
From "The Things They Carried" by Tim O'Brien
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.
