rewrite
Americanverb (used with object)
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to write in a different form or manner; revise.
to rewrite the entire book.
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to write again.
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to write (news submitted by a reporter) for inclusion in a newspaper.
noun
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the news story rewritten.
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something written in a different form or manner; revision.
They loved the rewrite, and said it would be a blockbuster!
verb
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to write (written material) again, esp changing the words or form
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computing to return (data) to a store when it has been erased during reading
noun
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of rewrite
Explanation
When you rewrite something, you start from scratch, writing it again to improve it. You might decide to rewrite a poem after your entire poetry class seems confused by your original version. A newspaper editor might instruct a reporter to rewrite her story, approaching it from a new angle or including more interviews. To rewrite something is to edit it, but the word implies making significant changes — or even starting all over again with a blank piece of paper or computer screen. You can call the new version itself a rewrite too. In journalism, it was once common for a "rewrite man" to work crafting new stories out of other people's reporting.
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.
Long before ChatGPT stormed onto the scene—poised to rewrite everything from business plans to wedding vows—a different technology swept through American society like wildfire, thrilling young people and eliciting warnings of declining family values.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 2, 2026
"So, as much as they don't want to talk about the past, it is key to understanding that in order to be able to rewrite the narrative and draw the line, in my opinion."
From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026
Last November, Google’s Threat Intelligence Group published a report showing that bad actors are deploying AI-enhanced malware with the capability to rewrite its source code midexecution to avoid antivirus software.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026
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
“I didn’t get one. Maybe she’s just playing a trick on you—remember, she wanted to rewrite that letter on Saturday, to make it a better prank.”
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
