rekindle

rekindle — verb

1. to make a positive feeling, interest, or relationship that existed in the past b

1.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to make a positive feeling, interest, or relationship that existed in the past become strong and active once more

Example

A weekend trip to Venice helped Henrik and Ayesha rekindle their romance.

collocation: rekindle romance / relationship

Flipping through a dusty album of travel photos rekindled Evelyn's love for watercolour painting.

rekindle + love / interest / passion

Common collocations
  • rekindle romance
  • rekindle love
  • rekindle friendship
  • rekindle interest
  • rekindle passion
  • rekindle trust
Synonyms
  • revive

    broader — can apply to anything inactive, not just emotions; rekindle specifically suggests emotion or relationship

  • renew

    more general and common; rekindle carries a stronger emotional warmth

  • reignite

    very close in meaning; reignite can also be literal (fire), while rekindle's literal sense is rarer

Antonyms
  • extinguish

    opposite metaphor — to put out a fire or end a feeling completely

Grammar Patterns

rekindle + noun phrase

Usage Note

Subject is usually an experience, event, conversation, or memory. Object is typically a positive emotion or close bond (romance, friendship, love, passion, trust).

Common Mistakes

The argument rekindled my anger.
The argument reignited my anger.
rekindle is almost always used with positive feelings or relationships, not negative ones.

2. to make a fire start burning again, or (of a fire) to start burning again after

2.verbtransitive / intransitiveB2
Definition

to make a fire start burning again, or (of a fire) to start burning again after having almost gone out

Example

Vinícius blew gently on the embers to rekindle the campfire.

transitive: rekindle + campfire / flames / fire

The dry wind caused the remaining coals to rekindle into flames.

intransitive: [fire / coals] rekindle

Common collocations
  • rekindle a fire
  • rekindle the flames
  • rekindle the campfire
  • rekindle the embers
Synonyms
  • relight

    more common in everyday speech; relight works for any flame (candle, match, fire)

  • reignite

    can imply a sudden burst of flame; slightly more dramatic in tone

Antonyms
  • extinguish

    to put out a fire completely

  • douse

    to pour water on a fire to put it out

Grammar Patterns

rekindle + noun phrase (transitive)

[noun phrase] + rekindles (intransitive)

Usage Note

Can be used transitively (someone rekindles a fire) or intransitively (the fire rekindles). More common in literary or narrative writing than in everyday conversation, where relight or start again are more typical.

Common Mistakes

I need to rekindle the candle.
I need to relight the candle.
rekindle is used for fires that have burned down to embers, not for candles or gas flames.

Word family

  • kindle
    verbB2
  • kindling
    nounC1
  • rekindling
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

Rekindle, revive, renew, and reignite all describe bringing something back, but they differ in what they suggest and how they are used. Rekindle draws on the metaphor of fire — it implies warmth, emotional intensity, and something that has faded rather than ended completely. Revive is broader: you can revive a tradition, a friendship, or even a person who has fainted. Renew suggests making something fresh again, often after it has worn out — you renew a contract, a passport, or a sense of purpose. Reignite is the closest synonym to rekindle but feels more sudden and dramatic — a spark that catches fire quickly rather than a gentle return of warmth. For example, a long conversation may rekindle a romance, a few good reviews may revive a restaurant's reputation, a new schedule may renew your motivation, and one harsh comment may reignite an old argument.

rekindle ↗revive ↗renew ↗reignite

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishModern English

Formed by adding the prefix 're-' (meaning 'again') to the verb 'kindle', which originally meant 'to set on fire'. 'Kindle' entered English around the 1200s from Old Norse 'kynda' ('to inflame, to light a fire'). By the 1600s, 'rekindle' was being used both literally (to light a fire again) and figuratively (to revive a feeling or relationship). The figurative sense has become more common in modern English.