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Glite Dictionary
to reword

to reword

4 3.4
Change the words of a sentence to say the same thing more clearly
  • verb
  • /ˌriːˈwɜrd/
translation icon : reformular
  • The teacher asked us to reword our essays for clarity and conciseness.
  • reworded items
  • reword the question

You're creating one of the you're creating one of can you reword that, please?

Examples

  • For the present study, CFQ items were reworded to reflect the adolescent's perspective.

    Academic text (2012)

  • In future studies, researchers might consider rewording this item for clarity.

    Academic text (2015)

  • Does anyone have thoughts on how to reword without, without going the sort of dramatic dentist route?

  • Recycle and reword is slightly different, but it's pretty much all the same thing, right?

  • Based on feedback from this group, questions were reworded, added, and deleted.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Using simpler language and rewording the questions could have helped gather more representative data.

    Academic text (2009)

  • The planned behavior questions in the follow-up survey were reworded accordingly.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The researchers suggest that these items be reworded in subsequent research to determine if an additional "social/emotional effects" factor emerges.

    Academic text (2015)

  • For example, "providing parent education workshops and seminars" was reworded to "coordinating parent education workshops."

    Academic text (2010)

  • Statistically insignificant items were eliminated, and items that appeared ambiguous were reworded or deleted altogether.

    Academic text (1997)

Synonyms

to paraphrase
vsto reword
64 4.1

To say the same thing using different words to make it clearer

is broader, can change words without necessarily adding clarity
to rephrase
vsto reword
42 3.7

To say something again in different words to make it clearer

often focuses on clarity or avoiding repetition when changing words
to restate
vsto reword
23 3.4

To say something again in a different, clearer way

can mean mere repetition rather than changing words for clarity
to word it differently
vsto reword
1 4.4

Say the same thing in a different way

is the basic act of changing words to convey the same message
to rearticulate
vsto reword
1 6.7

To say something again in a clearer way

is less formal, simply altering words without stressing clarity
to resay
vsto reword
4.3

Say something again in different words

usually implies repetition rather than deliberate changing of words
to resentence
vsto reword
7.1

To write a sentence again using different words

is the broader act of changing words, not limited to sentences
to respecify
vsto reword
  • Specialized
7.2

To state something again more clearly

usually applies to formal definitions rather than casual wording changes

How Different

to reword
4 3.4
to restate
23 3.4

Surface Forms

reword infinitive
reworded past
reworded past participle
rewording present participle
rewords third person singular

Morphology

reword = word (transparent) = re + word

The meaning is a standard productive use of re- with the verb 'word', meaning to word something again or differently.

Etymology

Reword comes from the prefix re- meaning 'again' and the simple word word, so it literally means to say something 'again' using different words. It's like rewrite or rephrase: you keep the same idea but change the words.