recreate

1 of 3

verb (1)

rec·​re·​ate ˈre-krē-ˌāt 

recreated; recreating; recreates

transitive verb

: to give new life or freshness to : refresh

supporters of preservation hope to recreate the architectural splendor that the old movie theater had when it first opened

… it became late enough to suggest tea. We had got through one brew, and the three great minds were recreating themselves with cake, when there came another knock at the door …

—G. Dosset

intransitive verb

: to take recreation

an old summer resort where families have been recreating for over a century

recreative

ˈre-krē-ˌā-tiv 

adjective

re-create

2 of 3

verb (2)

re-cre·​ate ˌrē-krē-ˈāt 

variants or recreate

re-created or recreated; re-creating or recreating; re-creates

transitive verb

: to create again

especially : to form anew in the imagination

re-creatable

ˌrē-krē-ˈā-tə-bəl 

adjective

re-creation

ˌrē-krē-ˈā-shən 

noun

re-creative

ˌrē-krē-ˈā-tiv 

adjective

re-creator

ˌrē-krē-ˈā-tər 

noun

recreation

3 of 3

noun

rec·​re·​a·​tion ˌre-krē-ˈā-shən 

: refreshment of strength and spirits after work

also : a means of refreshment or diversion : hobby

Synonyms of recreate

Verb (1)

• restore
• revive
• refresh

Noun

• relaxation
• fun
• entertainment
• amusement
• enjoyment

Examples of recreate in a Sentence

Verb (1)

supporters of preservation hope to recreate the architectural splendor that the old movie theater had when it first opened

an old summer resort where families have been recreating for over a century

Verb (2)

The movie set re-creates a London street of 1895.

The scene of the crime was re-created based upon police photographs.

Noun

The fields next to the school are used for recreation.

decided to take a bike tour of the island for recreation and relaxation

Recent Examples on the Web

Verb

Since Guadagnino’s first feature in 1999, The Protagonists, a mockumentary starring Tilda Swinton as a filmmaker re-creating a real-life murder in London, his work has encompassed a variety of plots, tones, and textures. — E. Alex Jung, Vulture, 2 Oct. 2026

The handheld strikes a near perfect balance between authentically re-creating the GBA’s design while updating its hardware with new controls, a much better screen, and the flexibility of Android at a price that feels like a bargain. — Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 2 Oct. 2026

Noun

The pools here are the star of the show, and there are all sorts from those used for recreation to those treated especially for wellness and relaxation. — Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026

For close to two decades, this crowd-pleasing pop superstar has been topping charts and gobbling up Grammys with detailed recreations of an ever-expanding array of past musical styles. — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb (1)

Middle English recreaten, borrowed from Latin recreāre "to make new, restore, revive" — more at recreation

Verb (2)

re- + create entry 1

Noun

Middle English recreacioun "act of refreshment, action of amusing," borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French, borrowed from Late Latin recreātiōn-, recreātiō "spiritual refreshment, amusement, new birth," going back to Latin, "act of restoring," from recreāre "to make new, restore, revive" (from re- re- + creāre "to bring into being, beget, give birth to") + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of verbal action — more at create entry 1

First Known Use

Verb (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Verb (2)

1587, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing recreate

• recreation ground
• recreation room

Rhymes for recreate

• abate
• airfreight
• await
• baseplate
• berate
• birthdate
• birthrate
• bookplate
• borate
• breastplate
• bromate
• casemate

Kids Definition

recreate

1 of 2 verb

rec·​re·​ate ˈrek-rē-ˌāt 

recreated; recreating

1

: to give new life or freshness to

2

: to take recreation

recreative

-ˌāt-iv

adjective

re-create

2 of 2 verb

re-cre·​ate

ˌrē-krē-ˈāt

: to create again especially in the imagination

re-creation

-ˈā-shən

noun

re-creative

-ˈāt-iv

adjective