retell

verb

re·​tell (ˌ)rē-ˈtel 

retold (ˌ)rē-ˈtōld  ; retelling

transitive verb

1

: to tell again or in another form

2

: to count again

Examples of retell in a Sentence

The movie retells the story of Romeo and Juliet.

Recent Examples on the Web

Thought leadership is often retelling the same 20 stories in different formats, anyway. — Marissa Brassfield, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2026

Chinese migrants’ attempts to cross the border, and America’s attempts to stop them, is the story that historians have told and retold. — Literary Hub, 9 Sep. 2026

The San Francisco Ballet production, which debuted in 2024, retells the myth of Pandora, who opened the box that unleashed humanity’s evil into the world. — Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 28 Aug. 2026

Six, the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical that uses modern pop styles to retell the stories of Henry VIII’s wives from the women’s point of view, will close on January 3, 2027, after nearly six years and 2,178 performances. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for retell

• barbell
• bedwell
• befell
• bluebell
• bombshell
• bridewell
• capelle
• cartel
• carvel
• clamshell
• cogswell
• compel

Kids Definition

retell

verb

re·​tell rē-ˈtel 

retold -ˈtōld  ; retelling

1

: to tell again or in another form

2

: to count again