repurchase: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2Formal, Business/Finance
Quick answer
What does “repurchase” mean?
To buy something again that one previously owned.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To buy something again that one previously owned.
In finance and business, the act of a company buying back its own shares from the market; in commerce, the reacquisition of a product or asset.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning. Spelling and usage are identical.
Connotations
Neutral and technical in both varieties.
Frequency
Slightly more frequent in American English due to prominence of stock market terminology.
Grammar
How to Use “repurchase” in a Sentence
[Subject] repurchases [Object][Subject] repurchased [Object] from [Seller/Source]The [Noun] of [Object] was repurchasedVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “repurchase” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The council decided to repurchase the land it had sold a decade earlier.
- Customers can repurchase digital content if they delete it accidentally.
American English
- The company will repurchase up to 10 million shares this quarter.
- He repurchased his grandfather's watch from the pawn shop.
adverb
British English
- [No standard adverbial form. Use 'again' or 'a second time']
American English
- [No standard adverbial form. Use 'again' or 'a second time']
adjective
British English
- The repurchase price was fixed in the initial contract.
- They exercised their repurchase option.
American English
- The repurchase plan boosted investor confidence.
- A repurchase agreement provides short-term funding.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
The board approved a $5 billion share repurchase programme to return value to shareholders.
Academic
The study analysed the market impact of corporate repurchase announcements.
Everyday
If you change your mind, most stores won't let you repurchase the returned item at a lower price.
Technical
In a repurchase agreement, the seller agrees to repurchase the securities at a later date.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “repurchase”
- Confusing 'repurchase' with 'refund' (getting money back) or 'exchange' (swapping an item). Using it for habitual re-buying (e.g., milk) is overly formal; 'buy again' is more natural.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, in everyday contexts. However, in finance and law, it is a precise technical term with specific implications (e.g., repurchase agreement, share repurchase).
Yes, especially in business and finance. For example: 'The repurchase was completed at $50 per share.'
A refund is returning an item for your money back. A repurchase is buying an item (often the same one) again, which is a new transaction.
In finance, 'repo' is the common abbreviation for 'repurchase agreement'. The verb/noun 'repurchase' itself is not commonly abbreviated.
To buy something again that one previously owned.
Repurchase: in British English it is pronounced /ˌriːˈpɜːtʃəs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌriˈpɝːtʃəs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms directly with 'repurchase']”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: RE (again) + PURCHASE (buy) = to buy again.
Conceptual Metaphor
Reclaiming ownership is regaining control/possession.
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'repurchase' MOST specifically used?