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Repurpose: meaning, definitions and examples

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repurpose

[ riːˈpɜːrpəʊz ]

Verb

^{Context #1 | Verb}

reuse old materials

To repurpose means to take an item or material and use it for a different purpose than originally intended. This process often involves creativity and ingenuity to transform something into a new and useful form.

Synonyms

recycle, reuse, upcycle.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
repurpose	When you take an item and give it a new function, often different from its original purpose. They repurposed the old barn wood to make furniture. She repurposed the wine bottles as candle holders.
reuse	When you use an item again for the same or similar purpose without significantly altering it. It's better to reuse shopping bags instead of getting new ones. She reused the jars to store spices.
recycle	When you process used materials to create new products, typically through specialized facilities. He recycles plastic bottles every week. There are bins where you can recycle paper, glass, and aluminum.
upcycle	When you creatively transform waste materials or unwanted products into new materials or products of better quality or environmental value. They upcycled the old jeans into a stylish new bag. She loves to upcycle discarded furniture pieces into unique home decor.

Examples of usage

Many artists repurpose old objects to create unique pieces of art.
She repurposed the old wooden crates into shelves for her home.
The company repurposed the abandoned factory into a trendy office space.

Translations

Translations of the word "repurpose" in other languages:

🇵🇹 reutilizar

🇮🇳 पुनः प्रयोज्य बनाना

🇩🇪 wiederverwenden

🇮🇩 menggunakan kembali

🇺🇦 перепрофілювати

🇵🇱 przetworzyć

🇯🇵 再利用する

🇫🇷 réutiliser

🇪🇸 reutilizar

🇹🇷 yeniden kullanmak

🇰🇷 재사용하다

🇸🇦 إعادة استخدام

🇨🇿 přepracovat

🇸🇰 opätovne použiť

🇨🇳 重新利用

🇸🇮 ponovno uporabiti

🇮🇸 endurvinna

🇰🇿 қайта пайдалану

🇬🇪 ხელახლა გამოყენება

🇦🇿 yenidən istifadə etmək

🇲🇽 reutilizar

Etymology

The word 'repurpose' originated in the late 20th century as a term in the field of environmental sustainability and design. It emphasizes the idea of giving new life to existing materials or objects rather than discarding them. The concept of repurposing has gained popularity in recent years as a way to reduce waste and promote creativity.