reapportion
C2Formal, Technical
Definition
Meaning
To distribute or allocate (something, especially political representation or funds) again in a different way.
To adjust the distribution of resources, responsibilities, or representation based on new data or circumstances.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term is strongly associated with legal, political, and administrative processes. It implies an official, often legislative, reallocation based on a changed criterion (e.g., population). It is not typically used for casual redistribution.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
The term is used identically in both varieties but is more frequent in American English due to the specific context of congressional redistricting.
Connotations
Neutral-technical in both, but can carry political controversy when referring to electoral boundaries.
Frequency
Higher frequency in US English, particularly in political journalism and legal texts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
reapportion [OBJECT] (among/between [RECIPIENTS])reapportion [OBJECT] according to [CRITERION]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “None specific to this word.”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
The board decided to reapportion the marketing budget to focus more on digital channels.
Academic
The study examines how states reapportion legislative seats after each decennial census.
Everyday
Rarely used in everyday conversation.
Technical
The algorithm will automatically reapportion network bandwidth based on demand.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- After the census, Parliament must reapportion constituencies to reflect population shifts.
- The council voted to reapportion the grants among the various boroughs.
American English
- The state legislature will reapportion congressional districts next session.
- They proposed to reapportion the tax revenue based on need.
adverb
British English
- The funds were reapportioned fairly.
- Seats were reapportioned according to the new formula.
American English
- The budget was reapportioned unequally.
- The resources need to be reapportioned more effectively.
adjective
British English
- The reapportionment process was highly contentious.
- A reapportioned map of the regions was published.
American English
- The reapportionment committee held public hearings.
- They challenged the reapportioned districts in court.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher will reapportion the crayons so everyone gets some.
- After the team grew, the manager had to reapportion the project tasks.
- The new law requires the government to reapportion funds for infrastructure every five years.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: RE-APPORTION. RE (again) + APPORTION (to divide and share out). You are dividing the shares again.
Conceptual Metaphor
RESOURCES ARE A PIE TO BE RESLICED.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid confusing with 'перераспределить' in all casual contexts; 'reapportion' is more formal/official. Do not use for simple 'раздать' (to hand out).
Common Mistakes
- Using 'reapportion' for informal sharing (e.g., 'Let's reapportion the sweets').
- Confusing spelling: 'reaportion' (missing 'p').
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the verb 'reapportion' MOST appropriately used?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Apportion' means to divide and allocate something for the first time. 'Reapportion' means to do this again, differently, often because the original division is no longer suitable.
No, while its most prominent use is in political redistricting, it can be correctly used for any formal reallocation of resources, funds, or duties.
The noun form is 'reapportionment'.
No, it is a transitive verb. It requires a direct object (e.g., reapportion *something*).