Re-write or rewrite?
re-write is a verb meaning “Alternative form of rewrite”; rewrite is a verb meaning “To write again, differently; to modify; to revise”. re-write is written with a hyphen and rewrite as one word; they are used differently.
What is the difference between re-write and rewrite?
| re-write | rewrite | |
|---|---|---|
| Part of speech | verb | noun, verb |
| Meaning | Alternative form of rewrite | The act of writing again or anew Something that has been written again To write again, differently; to modify; to revise |
| Example | none recorded | The film script underwent a rewrite for the European market |
| Forms | re-writes, re-writing, re-wrote, re-written | rewrites, rewriting, rewrote, rewritten |
| Pronunciation | not recorded | /ˈɹiː.ɹaɪt/ /ˈɹi.ɹaɪt/ /ɹiːˈɹaɪt/ |
| In writing | not counted (the list counts single words) | 3.0 times per million words |
Sources: re-write and rewrite in the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
Every current meaning of re-write and rewrite
re-write
- 1
Alternative form of rewrite
rewrite
- 1
The act of writing again or anew
The film script underwent a rewrite for the European market
- 2
To write again, differently; to modify; to revise
The editor asked me to rewrite my article for a non-technical audience
- 3
Something that has been written again
- 4
To write again (without changes)
- 5
The replacement of subterms of a formula with other terms, according to certain rules, by way of transformation
- 6
To replace subterms of a formula with other terms, according to certain rules, by way of transformation
Source: the English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0); obsolete, archaic, dialect and rare senses left out.
Which is more common, re-write or rewrite?
re-write is a phrase, which the list of single words does not count; rewrite 3.0 times per million words.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).