repurpose

verb re·pur·pose \ (ˌ)rē-ˈpər-pəs \

|Updated on: 22 Jun 2018

Examples: repurpose in a Sentence

Definition of repurpose

repurposed; repurposing; repurposes

transitive verb

: to give a new purpose or use to

repurpose the company's website

repurpose the archived material

See repurpose defined for English-language learners

Examples of repurpose in a Sentence

finding ways to repurpose old computer equipment

Recent Examples of repurpose from the Web

What a strange and wonderful use Beyoncé has made of her cultural power, to repurpose art history as a kind of Easter egg in her videos.

— kaitlyn greenidge, Glamour, "In the Louvre, Beyoncé Proves There's Power in Repurposing Art History," 18 June 2018
Mortality is their calling card, which McCleary’s poignant paintings splendidly repurpose for our own time.

— christopher knight, latimes.com, "Dan McCleary's paintings: Life at its peak beauty, but then what?," 14 June 2018
Karam, who is behind redevelopments such as Texas City’s Mall of the Mainland and Galveston’s Falstaff brewery, plans to repurpose the property into a five-story gym and a separate 45,000-square-foot self-storage facility.

— katherine feser, Houston Chronicle, "Deal of the week: Cossaboom Family YMCA to get new use as gym and self-storage project," 14 June 2018
Examples include Providence, R.I., where Brown University worked with two colleges and CV Properties, a Boston developer, to repurpose a disused power station as a nursing school and an administration building.

— New York Times, "New Jersey Town and University Bridge Their Divide, and Both Reap a Reward," 29 May 2018
But can these companies, which repurpose existing property for shared living and offer rents often north of $1,750 for a 120-square-foot studio and shared space, scale in a way that makes a significant impact?

— patrick sisson, Curbed, "Can tech outsmart the housing shortage?," 29 May 2018
Abusers may also able to repurpose innocuous apps that provide the relevant capabilities.

— nicki dell, karen levy, damon mccoy, Vox, "How domestic abusers use smartphones to spy on their partners," 21 May 2018
Volunteers worked to repurpose items including pallets, cement blocks, PVC piping and even garden hoses to create the sinkable habitats.

— carrie napoleon, Post-Tribune, "Sinking a boat, intentionally: Volunteers establish fish habitat in Griffith lake," 7 May 2018
No matter how stained or hole-y yours gets, For Days will take it back and repurpose it with ease.

— emily farra, Vogue, "This Zero-Waste, Closed-Loop Company Will Revolutionize the Way You Buy T-Shirts," 29 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'repurpose.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of repurpose

1984

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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REPURPOSE Defined for English Language Learners

repurpose

verb

Definition of repurpose for English Language Learners

: to change (something) so that it can be used for a different purpose

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repurpose

Definition of repurpose

Examples of repurpose in a Sentence

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First Known Use of repurpose

REPURPOSE Defined for English Language Learners

repurpose

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First Known Use of repurpose

REPURPOSE Defined for English Language Learners

repurpose

Definition of repurpose for English Language Learners

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