WordGarden.io

rethink

A1
Fairly common

Pronunciation

UK

    US

    • /riˈθɪŋk/

    Meanings

    Verb

    1. to think again about something and reconsider it

    Noun

    1. a fresh reconsideration of a plan, idea, or policy

    Beyond the definition

    Sometimes the first answer is not the best one. That's where "rethink" comes in. To rethink something is to look at it again, often because your first idea was not working or because new information appeared. It's like hitting "undo" on a big decision, taking a step back and saying, "Hmm, maybe I need to look at this differently." A chef might rethink a recipe if the first attempt tastes bland, and an architect might rethink building plans after finding unstable ground. You do not always change your mind when you rethink something, but you do give it another careful look.

    Examples

    1. 1

      Travel plans

      After the storm, we had to rethink our travel plans.

    2. 2

      Workplace policy

      The company is rethinking its hiring policy after months of complaints.

    3. 3

      Essay organization

      Her teacher's feedback made her rethink how she organized her essay.

      • Patternrethink how ...

        think again about the best way to do something

    4. 4

      Product launch

      Poor sales forced the team to rethink whether the product was ready to launch.

      • Patternrethink whether ...

        consider again if something is true or right

    More examples
    1. 5

      Polite warning

      You may want to rethink that email before you hit send.

      • UsageYou may want to rethink ...

        a polite way to say someone's idea or action seems unwise

    2. 6

      Personal values

      Becoming a parent made him rethink what success really meant.

    See also

    Similar

    Shades of meaning

    Contrast

    Used with (collocations)

    • rethink a decision
    • rethink the plan
    • rethink your approach
    • time to rethink

    Word family

    Explore

    Forms and spellings

    7 forms open this card.

    Main spelling

    • rethinknounverb

    Forms

    • re-thoughtpast tensepast participleverbnoun
    • re-thinking-ing formverbnoun
    • re-thinksverbnoun
    • rethinking-ing formverbnoun
    • rethoughtpast tensepast participleverbnoun
    • rethinksverbnoun