rearrangement
B2Pronunciation
UK
- /rˌiːərˈeɪndʒmənt/
US
- /riərˈeɪndʒmənt/
Description
- changing order
- shifting around
- reorganization
- restructuring
- shuffling
Imagine building with LEGO bricks. You make something, then decide you want it to look or work differently. That is rearrangement. It means changing the order, position, or layout of things. A simple example is moving the furniture in your bedroom. A bigger example is when jobs, plans, or groups are organized in a new way. Sometimes it is done on purpose, and sometimes it happens by accident, like when a strong wind shifts leaves all over a yard. It is about taking what is already there and putting it into a different order.
Rearrangement refers to the act or process of changing the order, position, or organization of things. It is not always just simple movement. Usually, it suggests that parts of something are being put into a different pattern or structure.
You can see it in everyday life. Someone might rearrange the furniture in a room to make more space. An editor may rearrange paragraphs in an article so the ideas flow better. A company may go through a rearrangement of roles or teams when it wants to work in a new way.
The idea also goes beyond physical objects. After an election, there may be a rearrangement of political power. In science, the word can describe changes in the order of genes, chromosomes, atoms, or parts of a molecule. Even in your own mind, you might think of rearrangement when you sort ideas into a clearer order.
The scale can be small or large. A minor rearrangement might be tidying your desk or changing the order of books on a shelf. A major rearrangement could involve changing the structure of a company, a government, or another large system.
So, whether it is a small change in a room or a major change in an organization or scientific structure, rearrangement is about taking existing parts and putting them into a new order. Sometimes the goal is improvement, and sometimes it is simply change, but the core idea is the same: the parts stay, while their order or position changes.
Examples
- 1
Furniture
After a quick rearrangement of the furniture, the room felt much bigger.
- 2
Exam schedule
The school announced a rearrangement of the exam schedule because of the storm.
- 3
Travel plans
We had to make a few last-minute rearrangements to our travel plans.
Pattern
rearrangements to + plan/system
changes made to it
- 4
Business restructuring
The company described the layoffs as part of a larger rearrangement of the business.
- 5
Writing organization
A simple rearrangement of the paragraphs made the report much easier to follow.
Forms and spellings
2 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- rearrangementnoun
Forms
- rearrangementspluralnoun