Meaning & use
redirect
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive
To make something or someone go in a new direction or to a different place.
Grammar: Takes an object, often with to: redirect traffic to another road.
Patterns
- redirect something to something
- redirect someone to something
Police redirected traffic to a side street.
Please redirect any calls to my cell phone.
The pilot was redirected to a different airport.
verbtransitive
To change the purpose or focus of something, such as money, effort or attention.
Grammar: Takes an object and often a goal: redirect funds toward schools.
Patterns
- redirect something toward something
- redirect something into something
She redirected her anger into training for a race.
The mayor redirected funds toward public transport.
A good teacher redirects a child's attention gently.
verbtransitive or intransitivecomputing
To send a website visitor automatically from one web address to another.
Grammar: Can take an object (redirect the page) or stand alone (the link redirects).
Patterns
- redirect to something
- redirect something to something
The old link redirects to the new homepage.
The server redirected users to a secure page.
We must redirect the old address before launch.
Word forms
| third person singular | redirects |
|---|---|
| past tense | redirected |
| past participle | redirected |
| -ing form | redirecting |
Common combinations
- redirect traffic
- Workers redirected traffic around the crash.
- redirect funds
- The charity redirected funds to flood relief.
- redirect attention
- He tried to redirect attention away from the mistake.
- redirect energy
- Redirect your energy into something useful.
- redirect a call
- The receptionist redirected the call to billing.
Synonyms and how they differ
- divert
- Divert often suggests turning something aside from its original path, while redirect simply points it somewhere new.
- reroute
- Reroute is mainly for physical paths such as flights or deliveries, whereas redirect also works for attention or money.
- reassign
- Reassign is for giving a person or task a new role, while redirect is for changing where something is aimed.
- refocus
- Refocus is about attention and effort only, whereas redirect also fits physical movement.
Word family
- direct verb
- to aim or guide
- direction noun
- the way something moves or points
- redirection noun
- the act of changing direction or purpose
- redirect noun
- an automatic jump from one web address to another
Practice
After the road closed, the officers began to ___ drivers onto a detour.
Choose one answer.
Redirect means to send someone in a new direction, which fits a detour. Reflect, regress and recall do not describe guiding drivers.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “redirect”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.