rewrite

rewrite — verb

1. to write a piece of text again, changing and improving it by correcting mistakes

1.verbtransitiveB1
Definition

to write a piece of text again, changing and improving it by correcting mistakes, adding new information, or making the language flow better.

Example

Yael had to rewrite the opening chapter of her novel three times before she was happy with it.

rewrite + chapter / scene / essay

After the editor sent back her notes, Kenji rewrote the entire report over the weekend.

Common collocations
  • rewrite a chapter
  • rewrite an essay
  • rewrite a script
  • rewrite a report
Synonyms
  • revise

    more general; can mean smaller changes or rethinking structure

  • edit

    focuses on correcting language, grammar, and style rather than major restructuring

  • redraft

    implies writing a completely new version from the first version

Antonyms
  • keep

    to leave a text unchanged

Grammar Patterns

rewrite + noun phrase

Usage Note

Commonly used with objects like essay, chapter, script, report, or letter. The emphasis is on making noticeable improvements, not just fixing small spelling errors.

Common Mistakes

I rewrote the sentence by changing one word.
I revised the sentence by changing one word.
'rewrite' suggests a larger, more thorough change than a single word swap.

2. to present a situation, event, or set of rules in a different light, altering ho

2.verbtransitiveB2
Definition

to present a situation, event, or set of rules in a different light, altering how people understand or think about it.

Example

The new documentary rewrites the story of the space race, showing the Russian side of events.

rewrite + history / story / narrative

Hamza wanted to rewrite the rules of the club so that younger members could join the board.

Common collocations
  • rewrite history
  • rewrite the rules
  • rewrite the record books
  • rewrite the narrative
Synonyms
  • reshape

    focuses on changing the form rather than the story

  • reinterpret

    suggests a new way of understanding rather than actively changing

  • reframe

    implies presenting the same facts in a different light

Antonyms
  • preserve

    to keep the original understanding unchanged

Grammar Patterns

rewrite + abstract noun phrase

Usage Note

Usually metaphorical — the direct object is not a physical text but an abstract concept such as history, rules, records, or how people think. Common in news and politics.

Common Mistakes

The athlete rewrote her training plan.' (literal, not metaphorical — should use verb sense 1)
The athlete rewrote the record books.
sense 2 applies to abstract achievements, not physical documents.

rewrite — noun

Word family

  • rewriting
    nounB2
  • rewritable
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: verb/1

All four words involve changing text, but they differ in how large or what kind of change is made. 'Rewrite' means to write the text again from the existing version, changing it thoroughly — you might rewrite an entire chapter, not just fix a few sentences. 'Revise' is more general: it can cover small tweaks or major restructures, and it often includes rethinking the content. 'Edit' usually means correcting language, grammar, and style while keeping the overall structure mostly the same. 'Amend' is more formal and suggests a small, official change — for example, amending a contract or law. A writer rewrites a weak paragraph, revises the structure of an article, edits a sentence for grammar, and amends a single date in the text.

rewrite ↗revise ↗edit ↗amend ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • needs a rewrite
  • give something a rewrite
  • first draft and rewrite

Etymology

Old EnglishLatinFrenchEnglish

The word 'rewrite' is formed by adding the prefix 're-' (meaning 'again' or 'back') to the Old English verb 'wrītan' (to write). The prefix comes from Latin 're-' through French influence on English. While 'write' has Germanic roots, the combined form 'rewrite' appeared in English in the 1500s, initially in the literal sense of writing something a second time.