repurpose

/ɹiːˈpɜː.pəs/

//ɹiːˈpɜː.pəs// verb

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

"repurpose" is a 9-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“repurpose” is uncommon English (frequency #58,974 among 21,470 “R” headwords), classed as a verb. The kind of spelling people second-guess.

#58,974
frequency rank, English
21,470
“R” headwords

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - To reuse for a different purpose, on a long-term basis, with or without alteration.

Key facts for repurpose
PropertyValue
Headwordrepurpose
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechVerb
IPA/ɹiːˈpɜː.pəs/
Letters9
Frequency rank#58,974
Misspellings tracked0
Confusable pairs0
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “repurpose” 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). repurpose 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

repurpose is uncommon English at frequency #58,974 among 21,470 “R” headwords, classed as averb, transcribed /ɹiːˈpɜː.pəs/. Rarity is why readers land here mid-draft. Gloss: "To reuse for a different purpose, on a long-term basis, with or without alteration.".

Zero misspellings are on record for repurpose in our index, a straightforward case of a spelling with little room for common typos. Our dataset records no confusable match here, since nothing in our dataset looks or sounds close enough to cause mix-ups.

Etymologically, the entry records: From re- + purpose. The correct English form is repurpose, spelled R-E-P-U-R-P-O-S-E.

Definition

  1. 1
    To reuse for a different purpose, on a long-term basis, with or without alteration.

Etymology

From re- + purpose.

Synonyms

remodel

This word in other languages

reutilizar(Español)réaffecter(Français)umnutzen(Deutsch)reutilizar(Português)

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 "repurpose"?
"repurpose" is spelled R-E-P-U-R-P-O-S-E. The IPA pronunciation is /ɹiːˈpɜː.pəs/.
What does "repurpose" mean?
As a verb, "repurpose" means: To reuse for a different purpose, on a long-term basis, with or without alteration.
How do you pronounce "repurpose"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "repurpose" is /ɹiːˈpɜː.pəs/. 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 "repurpose"?
From re- + purpose. 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 “repurpose”

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

  • The one correct English spelling is R-E-P-U-R-P-O-S-E - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /ɹiːˈpɜː.pəs/ (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