retell

verb

re·​tell (ˌ)rē-ˈtel How to pronounce retell (audio)
retold (ˌ)rē-ˈtōld How to pronounce retell (audio) ; retelling

transitive verb

1
: to tell again or in another form
2
: to count again

Examples of retell in a Sentence

The movie retells the story of Romeo and Juliet.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Our stories, after all, must remain alive because they will be retold again in new times and circumstances. — Literary Hub, 8 Oct. 2026 Instead of reading everything on the page, Lynch retold the stories in Room to Dream with the help of prompts from Tonn and others in the room. — Brian Raftery, Vanity Fair, 6 Oct. 2026 Given how many times the Unabomber story has been told and retold, what made this version of his story appealing to you? — Rachel Corbett, Vulture, 25 Sep. 2026 So it’s been easy to overlook, even though his story has been told and retold so many times over the years. — Rob Sheffield, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for retell

Word History

First Known Use

1593, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of retell was in 1593

Rhymes for retell

See All Rhymes for retell

Browse Nearby Words

retel
retell
retelling
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Cite this Entry

“Retell.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retell. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

retell

verb
re·​tell rē-ˈtel How to pronounce retell (audio)
retold -ˈtōld How to pronounce retell (audio) ; retelling
1
: to tell again or in another form
2
: to count again
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