rephrase
verb
re·phrase
(ˌ)rē-ˈfrāz 
rephrased; rephrasing
: to phrase or express (something) in a different way especially to make the meaning clearer
Let me rephrase the question.
… spoke first in precise medical terms, then quickly rephrased them in laymen's language.—
George J. Church and Evan Thomas
George J. Church and Evan ThomasExamples of rephrase in a Sentence
I don't understand what you're asking—could you rephrase your question?
Recent Examples on the Web
The title is a clue, rephrasing a Graham quote into the first-person plural.
—Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026
Or to rephrase the question, can the guardians of English football really afford to do nothing when the number of SCA deaths is so startling and in many cases, Adam included, there is overwhelming evidence that a young person’s life could have been saved?
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2026
As part of the move, Roblox will roll out real-time AI-powered chat rephrasing that automatically replaces swear words with more polite alternatives.
—Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 2026
Assistant District Attorney Greg Connor rephrased the question.
—Penny Kmitt, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rephrase
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Laura Regensdorf, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026
Or to rephrase the question, can the guardians of English football really afford to do nothing when the number of SCA deaths is so startling and in many cases, Adam included, there is overwhelming evidence that a young person’s life could have been saved?
—Daniel Taylor, New York Times, 31 Mar. 2026
As part of the move, Roblox will roll out real-time AI-powered chat rephrasing that automatically replaces swear words with more polite alternatives.
—Jibin Joseph, PC Magazine, 6 Mar. 2026
Assistant District Attorney Greg Connor rephrased the question.
—Penny Kmitt, CBS News, 10 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for rephrase
Cite this Entry
“Rephrase.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rephrase. Accessed 17 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
