rewire

verb

re·​wire (ˌ)rē-ˈwī(-ə)r How to pronounce rewire (audio)
rewired; rewiring

transitive verb

1
: to provide or connect (something) with wire again
especially : to replace the electrical wiring of (something, such as a building or electronic device)
rewired the house
rewire a circuit board
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
Not 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
… 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
Can you rewire yourself? I went back through pivotal points in my life, when one should be happy.Kim Korson

Examples of rewire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web 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 Climate Change And Renewable Energy With solar and wind now cheaper than fossil fuels, clean energy has been promising to rewire business infrastructure and, in coming years, majorly disrupt industries like pharma, hospitality, auto and farming, among many others. Anna C Mallon, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 Using positive affirmations can rewire your brain to believe in abundance and possibility. Melissa Houston, Forbes, 18 Feb. 2024 Schulman then enlisted the help of software engineer and artist Branden Hall to rewire the phone to play individual bird calls. Cathy Free, Washington Post, 15 Jan. 2024 How, even, our readers’ minds might be rewired too. Wired Staff, WIRED, 30 Dec. 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.

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of rewire was in 1881

Dictionary Entries Near rewire

Cite this Entry

“Rewire.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rewire. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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