rewire
verb
re·wire
(ˌ)rē-ˈwī(-ə)r 
rewired; rewiring
1
2
: to make lasting and usually beneficial changes to the neurological or psychological functioning of (a person or brain)
—not used technically
The injured brain, moreover, can rewire itself.—
Joan Didion
Joan DidionNot only do studies show that meditation is boosting their immune system, but brain scans suggest that it may be rewiring their brains to reduce stress.—Joel Stein
Joel Stein… nearly nine out of 10 adult smokers started smoking by age 18; nicotine can rewire youths' brains, making heroin and other opioids even more addictive.—Delia DeRiggiWhitton
Delia DeRiggiWhittonCan you rewire yourself? I went back through pivotal points in my life, when one should be happy.—Kim Korson
Kim KorsonExamples of rewire in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Instant access to celebrities rewired our relationships entirely.
—Jason Parham, WIRED, 29 Mar. 2024
Without the ever-present immediacy of digital connection, even just temporarily, can a family be rewired?
^^^
Amelia is at Timbertop, the ninth-grade campus of Geelong Grammar, one of Australia’s oldest private schools, which has made outdoor education a priority since the 1950s.
—Damien Cave, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
Often, at the forefront of that rewiring stand family business that can have the operational flexibility to make highly consequential decisions with limited board approval.
—Radu Magdin, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
The brain is actually rewiring itself during menopause.
—Eileen Finan, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024
Membership in a militant organization can be a powerful socializing experience, rewiring one’s ideas about reality.
—Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Business leaders can and should help rewire Gen Z to support their mental health and move them to a mindset that failure is a building block rather than a roadblock.
—Dr. Talia Varley, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
In just four little squares, Pyle was able to poke fun at the strangeness of human life by rewiring the way people think about language.
—Sophia Scorziello, Variety, 9 Aug. 2023
The magnetic switch covers eliminate the need to rewire existing electrical infrastructure—even those at hotels or in rentals.
—Condé Nast, WIRED, 5 Aug. 2023
Jason Parham, WIRED, 29 Mar. 2024
Without the ever-present immediacy of digital connection, even just temporarily, can a family be rewired?
^^^
Amelia is at Timbertop, the ninth-grade campus of Geelong Grammar, one of Australia’s oldest private schools, which has made outdoor education a priority since the 1950s.
—Damien Cave, New York Times, 22 Mar. 2024
Often, at the forefront of that rewiring stand family business that can have the operational flexibility to make highly consequential decisions with limited board approval.
—Radu Magdin, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024
The brain is actually rewiring itself during menopause.
—Eileen Finan, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024
Membership in a militant organization can be a powerful socializing experience, rewiring one’s ideas about reality.
—Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024
Business leaders can and should help rewire Gen Z to support their mental health and move them to a mindset that failure is a building block rather than a roadblock.
—Dr. Talia Varley, Forbes, 25 Feb. 2024
In just four little squares, Pyle was able to poke fun at the strangeness of human life by rewiring the way people think about language.
—Sophia Scorziello, Variety, 9 Aug. 2023
The magnetic switch covers eliminate the need to rewire existing electrical infrastructure—even those at hotels or in rentals.
—Condé Nast, WIRED, 5 Aug. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'rewire.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Rewire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rewire. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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