rearrange
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /rˌiːərˈeɪndʒ/
US
- /ˌriərˈeɪndʒ/
Description
- change order
- reorganize
- shift around
Imagine your bedroom after a particularly enthusiastic play session – toys everywhere. To rearrange it means to put things back in order, but not necessarily where they started! It's about changing the position or order of things. You might rearrange furniture for a fresh look, rearrange your schedule to fit in an important meeting, or even rearrange your thoughts to solve a tricky problem. Sometimes rearranging is simple tidying; other times, it's a complete overhaul. Think of a deck of cards – shuffling them rearranges their order, but doesn't change the cards themselves.
To rearrange means to alter the existing order or arrangement of things. It implies a deliberate shifting or repositioning, whether of physical objects, abstract concepts, or even schedules and plans. For example: "After the renovation, we had to rearrange all the furniture in the living room," or "The editor rearranged the chapters of the book to improve the flow."
Rearrange isn't about creating something entirely new; it's about taking what already exists and putting it into a different configuration. It can be as simple as rearranging flowers in a vase, or as complex as rearranging an entire company's organizational structure.
The context often dictates the scale of the rearrangement. A chef might rearrange ingredients on a plate for visual appeal, while a city planner might rearrange traffic patterns to ease congestion. You can even rearrange your priorities – deciding what's most important and adjusting your focus accordingly.
Sometimes, rearranging is done with a specific goal in mind: to improve efficiency, create a better aesthetic, or solve a problem. Other times, it's simply for variety or a change of pace. But at its core, to rearrange is about changing the order or position of what is already there – finding a different setup that suits your needs or preferences.
Examples
- 1
Furniture layout
We rearranged the living room so the sofa faced the window.
- 2
Phone apps
You can rearrange the apps on your phone by dragging the icons.
- 3
Classroom seating
The teacher rearranged the seating plan after two students kept talking.
- 4
Meeting time
Could we rearrange our meeting for Friday afternoon?
Pattern
rearrange + meeting/appointment
move it to a different time
- 5
Weekly plans
When the train strike was announced, she had to rearrange her whole week.
- 6
Article structure
The editor rearranged the paragraphs to make the article easier to follow.
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- rearrangeverb
Forms
- rearrangedpast tenseverb
- rearranging-ing formverb
- rearrangesverb