rearm

/ˌɹiːˈɑː(ɹ)m/

//ˌɹiːˈɑː(ɹ)m// verb

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"rearm" is a 5-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“rearm” is uncommon English (frequency #80,796 among 21,470 “R” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#80,796
frequency rank, English
21,470
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To replace or restore the weapons or arms of a previously defeated, or disarmed army, country, person or other body.

Key facts for rearm
PropertyValue
Headwordrearm
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ˌɹiːˈɑː(ɹ)m/
Letters5
Frequency rank#80,796
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “rearm” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). rearm lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Rare enough to double-check

rearm is uncommon English at frequency #80,796 among 21,470 “R” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ˌɹiːˈɑː(ɹ)m/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. 2 senses are on record.

rearm has no tracked misspelling variants, since its letter sequence doesn't invite the usual edit-distance slips. This headword has no recorded confusable partner, which typically means the spelling is too distinctive to be mistaken for another word.

Etymologically, the entry records: From re- + arm. The correct English form is rearm, spelled R-E-A-R-M.

Definition

  1. 1
    To replace or restore the weapons or arms of a previously defeated, or disarmed army, country, person or other body.
  2. 2
    To arm, or prepare for use, again.

Etymology

From re- + arm.

This word in other languages

réarmer(Français)

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "rearm"?
"rearm" is spelled R-E-A-R-M. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɹiːˈɑː(ɹ)m/.
What does "rearm" mean?
As a verb, "rearm" means: To replace or restore the weapons or arms of a previously defeated, or disarmed army, country, person or other body.
How do you pronounce "rearm"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "rearm" is /ˌɹiːˈɑː(ɹ)m/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "rearm"?
From re- + arm. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “rearm”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-A-R-M - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ˌɹiːˈɑː(ɹ)m/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Other uncommon English words near this rank

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list