rethink

verb

re·​think (ˌ)rē-ˈthiŋk How to pronounce rethink (audio)
rethought (ˌ)rē-ˈthȯt How to pronounce rethink (audio) ; rethinking

transitive verb

: to think about again : reconsider

intransitive verb

: to engage in reconsideration
rethink
ˈrē-ˌthiŋk How to pronounce rethink (audio)
ˈrē-ˈthiŋk
noun
rethinker noun

Examples of rethink in a Sentence

You had better rethink your decision. The government is rethinking its policy. He took a moment to rethink.
Recent Examples on the Web The bill would also rethink how primary care doctors are paid. Jessica Bartlett, BostonGlobe.com, 11 Sep. 2023 After George Floyd was murdered by a Minneapolis police officer in May 2020, protesters challenged law enforcement agencies across the nation to rethink public safety. Lyndsay Winkley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Sep. 2023 How neighbors made this metro Phoenix city rethink parking changes Google to announce new investment in Mesa Raw chicken over cake among restaurant health violations Carefree home where Orson Welles filmed for sale Mendoza was brief. Miguel Torres, The Arizona Republic, 6 Sep. 2023 Filling so much empty ground-floor space may require cities to rethink what brings people downtown. Emily Badger, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2023 The process required rethinking what she’d been taught in medical school — focusing on prevention, and not just treatment, and seeing pregnancy loss as part of a broader picture about a woman’s whole health. Sadia Rafiquddin, STAT, 31 Aug. 2023 Over the long haul, the museum has also been rethinking its anthropological galleries. Carolina A. Miranda, Los Angeles Times, 29 Aug. 2023 In the past year, he’s been rethinking his early life in Detroit in the Eighties. Anthony Malone, Rolling Stone, 1 Sep. 2023 Bianco didn’t necessarily rethink pizza by returning to old Neapolitan traditions. Tim Carman, Washington Post, 31 Aug. 2023 See More

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

Word History

First Known Use

1509, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of rethink was in 1509

Dictionary Entries Near rethink

Cite this Entry

“Rethink.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rethink. Accessed 21 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

rethink

verb
re·​think rē-ˈthiŋk How to pronounce rethink (audio)
rethought -ˈthȯt How to pronounce rethink (audio) ; rethinking
: to think about again : reconsider

More from Merriam-Webster on rethink

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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