recreate

1 of 2

verb (1)

rec·​re·​ate ˈre-krē-ˌāt How to pronounce recreate (audio)
recreated; recreating; recreates

transitive verb

: to give new life or freshness to : refresh
supporters of preservation hope to recreate the architectural splendor that the old movie theater had when it first opened
… it became late enough to suggest tea. We had got through one brew, and the three great minds were recreating themselves with cake, when there came another knock at the door …G. Dosset

intransitive verb

: to take recreation
an old summer resort where families have been recreating for over a century
recreative adjective

re-create

2 of 2

verb (2)

re-cre·​ate ˌrē-krē-ˈāt How to pronounce re-create (audio)
variants or recreate
re-created or recreated; re-creating or recreating; re-creates

transitive verb

: to create again
especially : to form anew in the imagination
re-creatable adjective
re-creation noun
re-creative adjective
re-creator noun

Examples of recreate in a Sentence

Verb (2) The movie set re-creates a London street of 1895. The scene of the crime was re-created based upon police photographs.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
When the machine tried to re-create Smashmallow’s most popular flavor, churro, the cinnamon coating didn’t stick and blew into the air. Peter Rubin, Longreads, 7 Mar. 2024 How to Make an Iconic Oscar Dress From Scraps Instagram star Angelica Hicks, who recently re-created Selena Gomez’s Emmys dress out of seaweed, puts together for THR four legendary red carpet looks worn by Zendaya, Cher, Bjork and Julia Roberts out of gaffer tape, tablecloths and pills for pearls. Thr Staff, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024 Fans loved the clip so much, Antonoff re-created it with Swift onstage during a surprise guest appearance at the Eras Tour last year. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 6 Mar. 2024 The startup intends to introduce the elephant-mammoth hybrids into the wild to re-create the role once played by the mammoth in the Arctic ecosystem, grazing the land and trampling snow cover, potentially decelerating the melting of permafrost. Matt Reynolds, WIRED, 6 Mar. 2024 The chefs put together their respective dishes and then pass the recipes along to a catering company that will re-create them on a larger scale for the fundraiser. Isha Trivedi, The Mercury News, 25 Feb. 2024 Rather, the goal is to re-create a fantasy from the user’s imagination. Tatum Hunter, Washington Post, 25 Feb. 2024 But during the trial, a former California Highway Patrol officer turned crash expert was able to re-create the scene. Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2024 Instead of letting that relationship peter out, re-create regular interaction with a former colleague to help ensure the relationship lasts. Aliza Knox, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'recreate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English recreaten, borrowed from Latin recreāre "to make new, restore, revive" — more at recreation

Verb (2)

re- + create entry 1

First Known Use

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Verb (2)

1587, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of recreate was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near recreate

Cite this Entry

“Recreate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recreate. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

recreate

1 of 2 verb
rec·​re·​ate ˈrek-rē-ˌāt How to pronounce recreate (audio)
recreated; recreating
1
: to give new life or freshness to
2
: to take recreation
recreative
-ˌāt-iv
adjective

re-create

2 of 2 verb
re-cre·​ate
ˌrē-krē-ˈāt
: to create again especially in the imagination
re-creation
-ˈā-shən
noun
re-creative
-ˈāt-iv
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on recreate

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