reorient
ree-OR-ee-ent
/riˈɔːriənt/
To change the focus, direction, or orientation of something.
Implies finding your bearings again after a disruption and aligning yourself with a new baseline or goal.
The story behind the word. From Latin re- (again) + orientem (the rising sun, the east). Historically, to 'orient' meant to align a map or building toward the east (the direction of Jerusalem or the sunrise). To 'reorient' is to find your bearings all over again.
Word relationships
- realign: Realign focuses on bringing things back into a straight line or agreement, while reorient focuses on finding a new direction.
- disorient: Disorient means to cause someone to lose their sense of direction.
Commonly confused with
- orient: Orient is finding your direction for the first time; reorient is doing it again after a change.
Word family
- reorientation (noun): The act of changing focus or direction.
Collocations
- reorient oneself
- reorient strategy
- reorient priorities
Idioms & expressions
- find one's bearings
Example sentences
- "After the merger, the marketing team had to reorient their campaign toward a younger demographic." Marketing strategy
Memory hook
Think of a compass spinning wildly until you 're-orient' it to face the correct direction again. Finding your sunrise again.
When not to use
Do not use for a simple physical turn; it usually implies a cognitive or strategic realignment.
Fun facts
- In ancient times, maps were drawn with East at the top, which is why we 'orient' maps rather than 'northing' them.
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