retell

verb

re·​tell (ˌ)rē-ˈtel How to pronounce retell (audio)
retold (ˌ)rē-ˈtōld How to pronounce retell (audio) ; retelling

transitive verb

1
: to tell again or in another form
2
: to count again

Examples of retell in a Sentence

The movie retells the story of Romeo and Juliet.
Recent Examples on the Web Though the details of the Wilder-Radner union are more than familiar by now, their story, as retold here, remains deeply affecting. Gary Goldstein, Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2024 Passages from the Haggadah, a formal Hebrew text, is also read during Seder, which retells the salvation and redemption of the ancient Israelites. Coleby Phillips, The Arizona Republic, 9 Mar. 2024 Find a case study that can be retold in a light and engaging way. Lisa Bennett, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Speaking to Variety ahead of the movie’s premiere at the Berlinale, Assayas says the film retells his experience during the lockdown and is based on his personal diary. Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 18 Feb. 2024 The 60-second commercial released on Monday (Feb. 5) features Hernandez retelling the riveting story about his unexpected, yet adventurous journey while test-driving the latest Nissan Pathfinder. Griselda Flores, Billboard, 6 Feb. 2024 Outlets around the world retold the episode, casting it as dramatic evidence of what the fall of Roe v. Wade would mean. Peter Slevin, The New Yorker, 25 Feb. 2024 The 10 Biggest Differences Between the New Mean Girls Movie and the Original Directed by Samantha Jayne and Arturo Perez Jr., 2024’s Mean Girls retells the story of Cady navigating North Shore High School’s cliques and infiltrating its most popular group of girls, known as the Plastics. Jack Smart, Peoplemag, 20 Feb. 2024 Other times Sugrue would retell — with great relish — his favorite parts of books. John Byron Kuhner, National Review, 3 Feb. 2024

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

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of retell was in 1593

Dictionary Entries Near retell

Cite this Entry

“Retell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retell. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

retell

verb
re·​tell rē-ˈtel How to pronounce retell (audio)
retold -ˈtōld How to pronounce retell (audio) ; retelling
1
: to tell again or in another form
2
: to count again
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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