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
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
The most esteemed law firms are rethinking their partner pay structure in response to the growing competition. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 5 Nov. 2024 This shift has forced IT to rethink the concept of modern workers because their endpoint problems and pain points are completely different than just five years ago. Douglas Murray, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 The operation could work out brilliantly, putting the Russian army on the back foot yet again and forcing Putin's inner circle to rethink its war strategy. Marco Rubio, Newsweek, 1 Nov. 2024 Chris Norris October 30, 2024 7:39 AM EDT The Zoom era has made remote workers everywhere rethink their office lighting schemes. Chris Norris, TIME, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rethink 

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 16 Nov. 2024.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!