Meaning & use
redo
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To do something again, usually because the first attempt was not good enough.
Grammar: Takes an object: redo the homework.
Patterns
- redo something
- redo something from scratch
I had to redo the whole report after the data changed.
She redid her essay from start to finish.
The painters will have to redo the ceiling.
verbtransitive
To decorate or style something again, giving it a new look.
Grammar: Often used with rooms, hair or makeup: redo the kitchen.
Patterns
- redo a room
- redo your hair
They redid the bathroom with new tiles.
She redid her hair before the party.
We plan to redo the garden next spring.
verbtransitivecomputing
To repeat an action in a program that you have just undone.
Grammar: A computing term, used with undo.
Patterns
- redo an action
Press Ctrl+Y to redo the last change.
If you undo by mistake, you can redo the edit straight away.
nouncountableinformal
A second try at something, when the first one was wasted or spoiled.
Grammar: Informal noun use: ask for a redo.
Patterns
- ask for a redo
- get a redo
The director asked for a redo of the final scene.
I wish I could get a redo on that interview.
Word forms
| third person singular | redoes |
|---|---|
| past tense | redid |
| past participle | redone |
| -ing form | redoing |
| plural | redos |
Common combinations
- redo from scratch
- The architect redid the plans from scratch.
- redo the work
- If it's not accurate, you'll need to redo the work.
- redo the kitchen
- They saved for years to redo the kitchen.
- redo a test
- Students may redo the test if they score below fifty.
- ask for a redo
- After the mix-up, the couple asked for a redo of the photographs.
- undo and redo
- Learn the shortcuts for undo and redo.
Synonyms and how they differ
- repeat
- Repeat means to do the same thing again exactly, while redo suggests improving or fixing it.
- revise
- Revise means to change or update something already written, whereas redo means doing it all again.
- remake
- Remake suggests building or producing something again, often a film or product, rather than an everyday task.
- renovate
- Renovate is specifically for restoring buildings, so it is narrower than redo.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: redo or undo?
redo vs undo
Undo reverses something that was done, while redo does it again.
Practice
The photos were blurry, so the photographer offered to ___ the whole shoot.
Choose one answer.
Redo means do again because the first attempt was not good. Undo means reverse, outdo means beat someone, and overdo means do too much.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “redo”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.