rearrange

verb

re·​ar·​range ˌrē-ə-ˈrānj How to pronounce rearrange (audio)
rearranged; rearranging

transitive verb

: to arrange (something or someone) again in a different way
rearranged the flowers on the table
rearrange the furniture
I rearranged my hair/clothes/glasses.
… anagrams, which are words or phrases rearranged to form different words or phrases.Carolyn Phelan
… massaging his knees while he talks, frequently rearranging himself into a more comfortable position.Daniel Ross
Sarah is more or less grimacing now …. In a minute, she'll rearrange her face to look cheerful.Aurelie Sheehan
rearranging their lives … to go back to school, to get the education that was denied them or that they did not want when they were young.Ruth Dorgan
… thousands of people had to cancel or rearrange their travel plans.Ken Young

Examples of rearrange in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
We’re inundated with remakes—recognizable storylines and premises that repeat the familiar rather than juddering-ly rearrange our worldview. Raven Smith, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2024 The high school sweethearts' love story began in 2015 after a science teacher rearranged the class seating plan, placing them side-by-side in the back row. Ashlyn Robinette, People.com, 31 Oct. 2024 But Walden shouldn’t start rearranging the furniture in Iger’s executive suite. Matt Donnelly, Variety, 19 Sep. 2024 Inside, the store has been rearranged, with men's clothing now located near the center of the store and the pet department toward the front. Jim Riccioli, Journal Sentinel, 30 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for rearrange 

Word History

First Known Use

1778, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of rearrange was in 1778

Dictionary Entries Near rearrange

Cite this Entry

“Rearrange.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/rearrange. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

rearrange

verb
re·​ar·​range
ˌrē-ə-ˈrānj
: to arrange again usually in a different way
rearranged the furniture
rearrangement noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!