reinvent
gb/ɹˌiɪnvˈɛnt/ us/ɹˌiɪnvˈɛnt/
B2
English
~ 9500
Senses
0 senses
Verb
B2
action
1
change something so it seems new
To change something in a big way so that it looks or feels new or very different from before.
Usage pattern:
to reinvent [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use "reinvent" when they only mean a small change, where verbs like "adjust" or "improve" would be more natural. "Reinvent" usually suggests a big, noticeable change. Also, learners may say *"reinvent again"*, which is redundant because "re-" already means "again".
Synonyms
transform (Suggests a very big, often positive change in form, appearance, or character; close in strength to "reinvent" but slightly broader.)
|
revamp (Informal and focused on updating or improving the style or function, often less radical than a full "reinvention".)
|
overhaul (Emphasizes a thorough review and repair or improvement of all parts, often used for systems or organizations.)
Antonyms
preserve (Focuses on keeping something in its existing state instead of changing it.)
|
maintain (Emphasizes continuing with the current way or condition rather than making major changes.)
Collocations
reinvent a product
|reinvent the brand
|reinvent the business
|reinvent our approach
|reinvent the company
|constantly reinvent [something]
Themes
business
|innovation
|change
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The company reinvented its flagship product to appeal to younger customers.
- Streaming services have reinvented the way we watch television.
- The museum is trying to reinvent itself as a lively community space.
- They completely reinvented their menu to focus on local ingredients.
- Her bold designs reinvent traditional wedding dresses for modern brides.
Learner examples
- The store reinvented its look to bring in new customers.
- This app reinvented how people listen to music.
- The school is reinventing its program to help more students.
- The restaurant reinvented the old dish with new flavors.
- Our team wants to reinvent the website so it is easier to use.
Verb
B2
action
2
completely change yourself or your image
To make big changes in your life or in how people see you, so you seem like a very different person.
Usage pattern:
to reinvent [oneself]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"reinvent him"* or *"reinvent her"* when they mean someone changes themselves. In this meaning, English almost always uses the reflexive form: "reinvent myself / yourself / himself / herself / themselves."
Synonyms
rebrand (Usually used for companies or public figures; focuses on changing the public image rather than the inner life.)
|
start over (Informal phrase describing beginning again, often after failure; does not always include changing image the way "reinvent" does.)
|
reinvent oneself (Fixed reflexive form; emphasizes the personal aspect of the change.)
Antonyms
stay the same (Highlights not changing lifestyle, personality, or image.)
|
settle (Suggests staying with one role or identity instead of changing to a new one.)
Collocations
reinvent yourself
|reinvent myself
|reinvent her career
|reinvent his life
|chance to reinvent yourself
|constantly reinvent himself
Themes
career
|personal_development
|change
|relationships
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- After her divorce, she moved to another country to reinvent herself.
- The singer reinvented himself as a serious actor in his forties.
- He used the career break to reinvent his life and priorities.
- Many professionals try to reinvent their careers in midlife.
- She reinvented herself from a shy student into a confident public speaker.
Learner examples
- He wants to reinvent himself in a new city.
- After losing his job, he decided to reinvent his career.
- She reinvented herself as a writer after many years as a teacher.
- Moving abroad gave her a chance to reinvent her life.
- The actor reinvented himself and became a director.
Verb
C1
action
3
independently recreate an existing thing
To make or design something again that other people have already made, often when it is not needed.
Usage pattern:
to reinvent [something that already exists]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this sense with the positive idea of "reinventing" to improve something. In this meaning, the tone is often neutral or slightly negative, suggesting wasted time because the thing already exists. Context such as "unnecessarily" or "already" usually signals this sense.
Synonyms
duplicate (Neutral term for making an exact copy; lacks the idea of being unaware or wasteful that "reinvent" often has.)
|
rediscover (Suggests finding or thinking of something again that was known before; less negative than "reinvent" about wasted effort.)
Antonyms
reuse (Means using an existing solution instead of creating a new one from scratch.)
|
build on (Suggests adding to or improving existing ideas, rather than recreating them from the beginning.)
Collocations
reinvent the wheel
|needlessly reinvent
|avoid reinventing
|reinvent existing solutions
|constantly reinvent the same idea
Themes
innovation
|science
|business
|education
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Without proper research, new teams often reinvent solutions that already exist in the company.
- The project failed because they tried to reinvent established methods instead of learning from them.
- Good documentation helps developers avoid reinventing the same tools over and over.
- Academics sometimes reinvent old theories under new names.
- Startups can save time by not reinventing systems that open-source software already provides.
Learner examples
- If you do not read past work, you may reinvent ideas that other people already had.
- The new team reinvented a tool that the company already used.
- We should not reinvent a system that is already good.
- Good notes help us avoid reinventing the same plan every year.
- They reinvented a method that scientists knew many years ago.
Grammar
Dictionary form
reinvent
IPA
GB/ɹˌiɪnvˈɛnt/
US/ɹˌiɪnvˈɛnt/
Syllables & stress
re - in - vent (3 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (in)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: reinvent
- 3rd Person Singular: reinvents
- Present Participle: reinventing
- Past: reinvented
Word family
Expressions
reinvent the wheel
1/ɹˌiɪnvˈɛnt ðə wˈil/
idiom
waste effort duplicating something existing
To spend time and effort making something that other people have already made well, instead of using what is already there.
Examples
- Don’t reinvent the wheel—use last year’s plan as a starting point.
- You don’t need to reinvent the wheel—there are plenty of good templates you can download.
- They spent months reinventing the wheel instead of improving what they had.
- Before we reinvent the wheel, let’s see what tools other teams are already using.
- Teachers share lesson plans online so others don’t have to reinvent the wheel every year.
reinvent the wheel
1/ɹˌiɪnvˈɛnt ðə wˈil/
idiom
duplicate an existing solution
to spend time making a solution when a good solution already exists
Examples
- We don't need to reinvent the wheel; there are plenty of apps that already do this.
- Before you build your own system, check whether you're reinventing the wheel.
- The team saved months by adapting open-source software instead of reinventing the wheel.