rewrite

American  

[ree-rahyt, ree-rahyt] / riˈraɪt, ˈriˌraɪt /

verb (used with object)

rewrote, rewritten, rewriting

1. to write in a different form or manner; revise.

   to rewrite the entire book.

2. to write again.

3. to write (news submitted by a reporter) for inclusion in a newspaper.

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noun

1. the news story rewritten.

2. something written in a different form or manner; revision.

   They loved the rewrite, and said it would be a blockbuster!

rewrite British  

verb

1. to write (written material) again, esp changing the words or form

2. computing to return (data) to a store when it has been erased during reading

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noun

1. something rewritten

Other Word Forms

• rewriter noun

Etymology

Origin of rewrite

First recorded in 1560–70; re- + write

Example Sentences

The plan is not binding but serves as a statement of the administration's priorities as Congress begins drafting spending legislation, with lawmakers retaining the power to rewrite or reject it.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

After Anthropic requested that GitHub remove copies of its proprietary code, another programmer used other AI tools to rewrite the Claude Code functionality in other programming languages.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

“Every time I hear it I go, I must rewrite that.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

The client requested that I rewrite the essay to have a more personal voice—to be more “authentic.”

From Slate • Mar. 20, 2026

It took them a full hour to write and rewrite the message.

From "The Parker Inheritance" by Varian Johnson

Related Words

• edit
• rework