WordGarden.iorecreate
C2Pronunciation
UK
US
- /ˈrɛkriˌeɪt/
Meanings
Verb
to make, produce, or bring about again, often by reproducing an earlier thing, scene, or effect
to amuse or refresh oneself through leisure activity
Beyond the definition
To recreate something usually means to make it again or bring it back, sometimes in a new form. You might recreate a historical event in a play or recreate a family meal from memory. It does not always mean making an exact copy. Often, the goal is to bring back the look, feeling, or spirit of something. The word can also mean to relax and enjoy yourself, especially in older or formal English.
The word "recreate" has two main meanings. Most often, it means to make something again or bring it back in a way that copies or renews the original. This can be literal, such as when a team tries to recreate a damaged building, or artistic, such as when a director recreates a scene from history. It can also describe making something from memory or from an earlier model, like trying to recreate a childhood recipe or the mood of an old photograph.
In many cases, the word suggests more than exact copying. Someone may recreate the feeling, style, or spirit of something without matching every detail. A chef might recreate a grandmother's pie, and an artist might recreate a moment from the past in a fresh way. So the word often includes both rebuilding and reimagining.
There is also a second meaning: to relax, enjoy yourself, or refresh your mind and body through enjoyable activity. In this sense, people might recreate by hiking, swimming, or spending time outdoors. This use is less common in everyday speech now, but it still appears in formal or older writing and is closely related to the noun "recreation."
Whether it refers to rebuilding something, bringing back a past experience, or taking time to enjoy life and regain energy, "recreate" is about making something live again in form, feeling, or spirit.
Examples
- 1
Historical exhibit
The museum recreated a typical 19th-century classroom.
- 2
Cooking
I tried to recreate the dish at home, but it didn't taste the same.
- 3
Crime investigation
Detectives asked the witness to help them recreate the events of that night.
- 4
Film setting
The film carefully recreates life in New York in the 1970s.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Audio effect
This app recreates the sound of an old vinyl record.
- 6
Special feeling
It's hard to recreate the magic of their first album.
- Phraserecreate the magic
produce the same special feeling again
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
Used with (collocations)
- recreate a scene
- recreate the experience
- recreate the conditions
Word family
- re-creation
- recreated
Explore
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- recreateverb
Forms
- recreatedpast tenseverb
- recreating-ing formverb
- recreatesverb