reinvent: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral to formal; common in business, management, and self-help contexts.
Quick answer
What does “reinvent” mean?
To create a new version of something that already exists, making significant changes to its nature, purpose, or design.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To create a new version of something that already exists, making significant changes to its nature, purpose, or design.
To change one's own personal image, career, or approach in a fundamental way; to overhaul something completely.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage and meaning are identical. The word 'reinvent' is equally common in both varieties.
Connotations
In business contexts in both regions, it carries a positive connotation of innovation and adaptability. Can sometimes have a slightly negative implication of unnecessary change or 'gimmickry'.
Frequency
High frequency in professional and media discourse in both the UK and US.
Grammar
How to Use “reinvent” in a Sentence
transitive verb + object (e.g., reinvent the company)reflexive verb + oneself (e.g., reinvent oneself)transitive verb + object + as + noun phrase (e.g., reinvent the space as a community hub)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “reinvent” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The brand is trying to reinvent itself for a younger demographic.
- He completely reinvented his career in his forties.
- We must not reinvent the wheel; let's use the existing framework.
American English
- The company had to reinvent its business model after the market crash.
- She reinvented herself as a life coach after leaving corporate law.
- The team is working to reinvent the user experience from the ground up.
adjective
British English
- The reinvented product line launched to great acclaim.
- He emerged as a reinvented politician after the scandal.
American English
- The reinvented brand attracted a whole new customer base.
- She presented a reinvented image at the awards ceremony.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Companies often need to reinvent their business models to stay competitive in a digital market.
Academic
The scholar argued that the movement sought to reinvent traditional social hierarchies.
Everyday
After her divorce, she decided to reinvent her life and move abroad.
Technical
The engineers didn't need to reinvent the wheel; they adapted an existing proven solution.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “reinvent”
- Confusing 'reinvent' with 'renew' or 'renovate' (which are more about restoration).
- Using 'reinvent' for minor updates instead of fundamental change.
- Incorrect: *'They reinvented the office by painting the walls.' Correct: 'They transformed the office culture by introducing flexible working.'
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Invent' means to create something entirely new for the first time. 'Reinvent' means to take something that already exists and change it so fundamentally that it becomes something new in its essence or purpose.
Not always. While it often suggests positive innovation (e.g., 'reinvent your career'), it can be negative in the idiom 'reinvent the wheel', which criticises wasting time creating something that already exists perfectly well. It can also imply superficial change when fundamental problems remain.
Rarely. It is almost always a transitive verb (e.g., reinvent something/oneself). The reflexive use 'reinvent oneself' is very common.
It functions as a participial adjective, derived from the past participle of the verb 'reinvent'. It describes the noun ('classic') as having undergone a process of reinvention.
To create a new version of something that already exists, making significant changes to its nature, purpose, or design.
Reinvent is usually neutral to formal; common in business, management, and self-help contexts. in register.
Reinvent: in British English it is pronounced /ˌriːɪnˈvent/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌriɪnˈvent/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “reinvent the wheel”
- “reinvent oneself”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'RE-INVENT': inventing something AGAIN, but this time from the ground up.
Conceptual Metaphor
LIFE IS A PRODUCT / THE SELF IS A BUSINESS (e.g., 'reinvent yourself'). CHANGE IS A NEW INVENTION.
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'reinvent' used CORRECTLY?