re-route
B2Neutral to formal; common in technical, business, and everyday contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To send something or someone along a different course or path.
To redirect or divert from an original, planned, or established route.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies a change in path, often due to an obstruction, inefficiency, or new requirement. Can be applied to physical objects (traffic, goods) and abstract concepts (data, conversations).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Spelling with hyphen ('re-route') is more common in British English, while 'reroute' (closed) is more frequent in American English. Pronunciation of 'route' may vary (UK: /ruːt/; US: /ruːt/ or /raʊt/).
Connotations
No significant difference in connotation.
Frequency
Slightly higher frequency in American English, particularly in technical and logistical contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[Subject] + re-route + [Direct Object][Subject] + re-route + [Direct Object] + to/through/via + [Location][Subject] + re-route + [Direct Object] + away from + [Location]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
We need to re-route the shipment to the Frankfurt warehouse due to port strikes.
Academic
The study examines how urban planning can re-route pedestrian traffic to reduce congestion.
Everyday
The sat-nav automatically re-routed us around the traffic jam.
Technical
The router will dynamically re-route data packets if a node fails.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- Due to engineering works, they will re-route the 09:15 train via Reading.
- Can you re-oute the call to my mobile, please?
American English
- The logistics team had to reroute the truck through Nevada.
- The app rerouted us around the construction.
adverb
British English
- []
American English
- []
adjective
British English
- The re-route instructions were confusing.
- A re-route option is available in the settings.
American English
- We followed the reroute signs for the detour.
- The reroute plan was implemented successfully.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bus was re-routed because the road was closed.
- Due to bad weather, our flight was re-routed to a different airport.
- The city council decided to re-route heavy traffic away from the residential area.
- Strategic infrastructure investments can re-route global trade flows, altering economic dependencies.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a car's RE-verse gear and a ROUTE on a map. You RE-verse the decision on the ROUTE to RE-ROUTE.
Conceptual Metaphor
A JOURNEY can be altered; a PATH is not fixed.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque from 'маршрутизировать заново'; use 'направить по другому маршруту' or 'изменить маршрут'.
- Do not confuse with 'перенаправить' which is broader and can mean 'forward' (an email).
Common Mistakes
- Misspelling: 'reroute' (common in US) vs. 're-route' (common in UK).
- Incorrect preposition: 're-route in a different road' instead of 're-route onto a different road'.
- Using it intransitively: 'The flight re-routed' (incorrect) vs. 'They re-routed the flight' (correct).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 're-route' LEAST likely to be used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It can be written as one word ('reroute') or with a hyphen ('re-route'). The hyphenated form is more traditional and common in British English, while the closed form is standard in American English.
Yes, it can be used abstractly, for example: 're-route a conversation', 're-route funding', or 're-route efforts'.
They are often synonyms. 'Divert' can imply a more forced or unexpected change, often away from something (e.g., divert attention). 'Re-route' is more neutral and specifically implies establishing a new, alternative path.
In British English, it's typically /ruːt/ (like 'root'). In American English, both /ruːt/ and /raʊt/ (like 'out') are common, though /ruːt/ is often preferred in this compound word.