# recreate

/ˈɹɛkɹiˌeɪt/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/recreate
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. to make again

verb · CEFR B2

to make something from the past exist or happen again.

For teachers: to create anew; to reproduce or represent a past event, atmosphere, or object. Often spelled with a hyphen as 're-create' to distinguish it from the leisure sense.

- The historical village helps to recreate what life was like in the 1800s.
- The production designer worked tirelessly to recreate the specific aesthetic of 1920s Berlin, sourcing authentic props from across Europe.

Usage: Commonly takes a direct object representing a scene, event, or feeling.

### 2. to relax or play

verb · CEFR C1 · Formal · Technical

to take part in a hobby or activity for fun and relaxation.

For teachers: to engage in recreation; to refresh oneself through leisure activities. This sense is often found in formal or academic contexts regarding public land use.

- The park provides a beautiful space where local families can recreate together.
- The government designated the coastal area as a protected zone where citizens are permitted to recreate responsibly.

Usage: Often used intransitively in legal or environmental documents.

Teaching tip: In modern speech, people usually say 'relax' or 'have fun' instead of using this specific verb sense.

## Examples

- The chef tried to recreate his grandmother's famous soup.
- Historians used old photographs and maps to recreate the layout of the medieval village for the museum exhibit.
- The director spent months scouting locations to recreate the specific atmosphere of 1920s Berlin, ensuring every architectural detail matched the historical record.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.