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Synonyms

retread

American  
[ree-tred, ree-tred] / riˈtrɛd, ˈriˌtrɛd /

verb (used with object)

retreaded, retreading

  1. to put a new tread on (a worn pneumatic tire casing) either by recapping or by cutting fresh treads in the smooth surface.

  2. to repeat or do over, especially without the boldness or inventiveness of the original.

noun

  1. a tire that has been retreaded.

  2. Slang. a person returned to active work after retirement, dismissal, etc.

  3. a person retrained for a new or more modern job or task.

  4. Informal. a repeating, reviving, or reworking of an old or familiar idea, presentation, story, etc., especially when unimaginative or hackneyed; rehash.

    a boring retread of a classic movie.

  5. Slang. a person representing older or previous times, ideas, policies, etc., especially when they are deemed passé or tiresome.

retread British  

verb

  1. (tr) another word for remould

"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

noun

  1. another word for remould

  2. informal a pensioner who has resumed employment, esp in a former profession

  3. a film, piece of music, etc, which is a superficially altered version of an earlier original

"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 retread

First recorded in 1885–90; re- + tread

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.

Similarly, Raymond James analyst Chris Meekins said the plan unveiled on Thursday is “a retread of previously advocated-for positions and there is no legislative path forward for much of it, in our view.”

From MarketWatch • Jan. 15, 2026

More than once, naysayers dismissed it as an “ER” retread – which, given that it stars Noah Wyle, who also executive produces alongside “ER” showrunner John Wells, is understandable.

From Salon • Dec. 17, 2025

But what if what seemed a tired retread was actually poised on the cutting edge of televised entertainment?

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 16, 2025

But the sense of a retread is hard to shake.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 10, 2024

He turned, as these thoughts passed through his mind, and began hastily to retread his footsteps towards the castle.

From The Abbot by Scott, Walter, Sir

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.