rethink

rethink — verb

IPA/ˌriːˈθɪŋk/
KK[riθˈɪŋk]IPA/ˌriːˈθɪŋk/
  • rethinkpresent simple I / you / we / they
  • rethinkshe / she / it
  • rethoughtpast simple
  • rethinking-ing form

1. to examine a plan, opinion, or way of doing things a second time so you can deci

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to examine a plan, opinion, or way of doing things a second time so you can decide whether to make changes

Example

Tara decided to rethink her travel plans after the airline cancelled all flights to Tokyo.

rethink + noun phrase (travel plans)

The school board is rethinking whether standardized tests should still be required for graduation.

rethink + whether-clause

Common collocations
  • rethink a strategy
  • rethink an approach
  • rethink a policy
  • rethink a position
  • rethink priorities
Synonyms
  • reconsider

    more neutral and slightly less formal; suggests a gentler second look

  • reevaluate

    stronger emphasis on judging value or worth again

  • reassess

    similar to rethink but more analytical, often used in academic or business contexts

Antonyms
  • maintain

    to keep a position or plan without changing it

  • uphold

    to support a decision or plan and not change it

Grammar Patterns

rethink + noun phrase

rethink + whether/wh-clause

Usage Note

Frequently takes a wh-clause (whether, how, what) as object. In business and policy writing, common with adverbs like 'fundamentally', 'radically', or 'completely'.

Common Mistakes

I need to rethink about the problem.
I need to rethink the problem.
'rethink' is transitive and takes a direct object without a preposition.
She rethinked her decision.
She rethought her decision.
'rethink' has the irregular past form 'rethought', not 'rethink-ed'.

rethink — noun

IPA/ˈriː.θɪŋk/
KK[riθˈɪŋk]IPA/ˈriː.θɪŋk/

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

These four verbs all involve looking at something again, but they differ in emphasis. 'Reconsider' is the gentlest — it simply means 'think about again' and often appears in personal contexts ('He asked her to reconsider her decision'). 'Reassess' is more analytical: you weigh the value, importance, or accuracy of something ('The doctor reassessed the patient's condition'). 'Reevaluate' is similar but suggests you are measuring against a set of criteria or standards ('The course was reevaluated after student complaints'). 'Review' is the broadest — it can mean any kind of examination, from casual reading to formal inspection, and unlike 'rethink', a review does not necessarily imply that a change is being considered ('The officer reviewed the file overnight'). When the goal is to question whether the whole approach needs to change, 'rethink' is the strongest and most decisive word of the group.

reconsider ↗reassessreevaluatereview ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • call for a rethink
  • need a rethink
  • prompt a rethink
  • lead to a rethink

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishEnglishLatin prefix re- via French

Formed in modern English by adding the prefix 're-' (meaning 'again' or 'back') to the verb 'think'. 'Think' comes from the Old English 'þencan', which traces back to the Proto-Germanic '*thankjaną', related to words for thought and gratitude across Germanic languages. The prefix 're-' entered English from Latin via French and has been freely added to English verbs since the 1400s. 'Rethink' first appeared in writing in the early 1800s and became common in business and policy language during the 1900s.