reinvent

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   To change something so much that it appears completely new or different.

   Grammar: Takes an object: reinvent the company.

   Patterns

   • reinvent something
   • reinvent yourself

   The company had to reinvent its image to attract younger customers.

   After losing his job, he decided to reinvent himself as a photographer.

   They reinvented the classic dish with local ingredients.

2. 2verbtransitive

   To create something again that already exists, often wasting effort.

   Grammar: Used especially in the phrase 'reinvent the wheel'.

   Patterns

   • reinvent the wheel

   There's no need to reinvent the wheel; we can use the existing software.

   Don't reinvent the wheel—just follow the proven method.

Word forms

Common combinations

reinvent the wheel

We don't want to reinvent the wheel, so we'll reuse the old design.

reinvent yourself

She reinvented herself as a life coach after twenty years in banking.

reinvent the company

The new CEO promised to reinvent the company from top to bottom.

constantly reinventing

The brand is constantly reinventing its look to stay trendy.

Synonyms and how they differ

transform

Suggests a complete change in form or nature, often more dramatic than 'reinvent'.

recreate

Means to make something again; 'reinvent' implies making it new and different.

revamp

Informal; means to improve the appearance or structure of something, less radical than 'reinvent'.

Word family

reinvention noun

The act of reinventing something or someone.

invent verb

To create something that did not exist before.

invention noun

Something new that has been created.

Commonly confused: reinvent or reinvest?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “reinvent”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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