reclassify

verb

re·​clas·​si·​fy (ˌ)rē-ˈkla-sə-ˌfī How to pronounce reclassify (audio)
reclassified; reclassifying; reclassifies
Synonyms of reclassifynext

transitive verb

: to move from one class, classification, or category to another : to classify again
… in the 1980s, amphetamines were reclassified as controlled substances, which restricted their availability.—Stephen Rae
reclassify the product to boost sales

Examples of reclassify in a Sentence

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.
The school also reclassified some restricted funds to satisfy bond covenants. — Bloomberg, Fortune, 31 Aug. 2026 North Dakota State competed in the Football Championship Subdivision for 22 seasons, spending the past 18 years in the Missouri Valley Football Conference after four years in the Great West Football Conference while reclassifying from Division II. — ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026 As business districts spread, lots that had been zoned for single-family homes were reclassified for commercial use. — Nicola Twilley, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026 And the impact of California’s Assembly Bill 5, which reclassified low-stipend theater workers as full employees, has further fueled the soaring cost of production. — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reclassify

Word History

First Known Use

1837, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reclassify was in 1837

Rhymes for reclassify

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Browse Nearby Words

reclassification
reclassify
reclean
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Cite this Entry

“Reclassify.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reclassify. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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