Synonyms

retell

American

[ree-tel] / riˈtɛl /

verb (used with object)

retold, retelling

to tell (a story, tale, etc.) over again or in a new way.

It’s Sleeping Beauty retold with a different twist.

retell British

/ riːˈtɛl /

verb

to relate (a story, etc) again or differently

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of retell

re- + tell ¹

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

I don’t know whether or not he is a narcissist, but from your retelling, he is someone who has always looked out for himself.

From MarketWatch

She’s made something different from your typical adaptation, a movie that brings a fresh perspective to a very old and frequently retold tale.

From Salon

Unfolding under the theatrical auspices of Imeldific, “Here Lies Love” retells the history of the Marcos years as a musical pageant.

From Los Angeles Times

But much like Baz Luhrmann’s “Romeo + Juliet,” she’s not trying to retell this famous tale; she’s reimagining it as the outsized, grand spectacle it has become in both public consciousness and personal affection.

From Salon

Decades of retelling this story means "kindliest" has now turned into "friendliest".

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023