paraphrase

1 of 2

noun

para·​phrase ˈper-ə-ˌfrāz How to pronounce paraphrase (audio)
ˈpa-rə-
1
: a restatement of a text, passage, or work giving the meaning in another form
The teacher asked the students to write a paraphrase of the poem.
2
: the use or process of paraphrasing in studying or teaching composition
paraphrase, which aims rather at recapturing the general impression of a foreign workTimes Literary Supplement

paraphrase

2 of 2

verb

paraphrased; paraphrasing

intransitive verb

: to make a paraphrase

transitive verb

: to make a paraphrase of
paraphrasable adjective
paraphraser noun

Did you know?

When we paraphrase, we provide a version that can exist beside the original (rather than replace it). We paraphrase all the time. When you tell a friend what someone else has said, you're almost always paraphrasing, since you're not repeating the exact words. If you go to hear a talk, you might paraphrase the speaker's main points afterward for your friends. And when writing a paper on a short story, you might start off your essay with a paraphrase of the plot. Paraphrasing is especially useful when dealing with poetry, since poetic language is often difficult and poems may have meanings that are hard to pin down.

Examples of paraphrase in a Sentence

Noun This is just a paraphrase of what he said, not an exact quote. your essays on human rights should have some original thought and not be simply a paraphrase of what's in the textbook Verb I'm paraphrasing, but he did say something like that. could you paraphrase your diagnosis of my medical condition, using simpler language?
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
That’s a gentle paraphrase of what was in this viewer’s letter. James Barron, New York Times, 23 Jan. 2024 Judicial opinions even sometimes just copy things from the briefs or closely paraphrase prior opinions without citation; in a field that prioritizes precedent over originality, that is not a sin. Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 20 Jan. 2024 First violinist Isaac Allen played the stratospheric hymn paraphrase in the final movement with appropriate reverence and glory, as cellist Alex Greenbaum sung out a slowly descending pattern. Christian Hertzog, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Nov. 2023 That’s my paraphrase, from memory, of a Facebook comment that John Thorn, the official historian of Major League Baseball, wrote in response to a bitter denunciation that someone had just written of Alvin Dark, a former shortstop and longtime manager. Nicholas Frankovich, National Review, 13 Oct. 2023 In response to Thalberg’s exquisite paraphrases of operatic arias, Liszt evolved a sound that was symphonic in character—heavily resonant yet spectacularly mobile, activating all the registers of the instrument. Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2023 And while that may be a rather poor paraphrase, the sentiment still sticks for why both fostering and adopting is so important to saving the lives of homeless pets. The Republic, The Arizona Republic, 21 July 2023 But that was only a paraphrase of his own primer for audiences. Robert D. McFadden, New York Times, 8 July 2023 So, has the internet replaced television to become, in a paraphrase of media theorist Marshall McLuhan, the medium and the message? Stephen Pastis, Fortune, 6 July 2023
Verb
To paraphrase a wise man, don’t be too stupid to keep moviegoers from having a good time. David Fear, Rolling Stone, 9 Mar. 2024 To paraphrase Kissinger, the United States and China are major rivals. Niall Ferguson, Foreign Affairs, 20 Feb. 2024 Chabria: To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of our death are greatly exaggerated — again. Mark Z. Barabak, Los Angeles Times, 18 Feb. 2024 To paraphrase Winston Churchill, a president’s inner circle is prone to believe that the chief executive is so precious that he must be protected by a bodyguard of lies. Rich Lowry, National Review, 13 Feb. 2024 To do otherwise is, to paraphrase, Keynes, not intelligent, beautiful, just, or virtuous. Nick Romeo, The New Yorker, 16 Jan. 2024 News of their demise is greatly exaggerated, to paraphrase Mark Twain. Judy Bart Kancigor, Orange County Register, 15 Feb. 2024 To paraphrase Julius Caesar, all of the college basketball season is divided into three parts. USA TODAY, 12 Jan. 2024 The major evidence involved Gorsuch closely paraphrasing technical scientific descriptions in a work on the law and philosophy of how to handle those scientific issues. Dan McLaughlin, National Review, 20 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'paraphrase.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle French, from Latin paraphrasis, from Greek, from paraphrazein to paraphrase, from para- + phrazein to point out

First Known Use

Noun

1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1598, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of paraphrase was in 1548

Dictionary Entries Near paraphrase

Cite this Entry

“Paraphrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/paraphrase. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

paraphrase

1 of 2 noun
para·​phrase ˈpar-ə-ˌfrāz How to pronounce paraphrase (audio)
: a way of stating something (as a written work) again by giving the meaning in different words

paraphrase

2 of 2 verb
paraphrased; paraphrasing
: to give the meaning in different words
paraphrased the author's account
paraphraser noun

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