Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

reinvent the wheel

/ˌɹiːɪnˌvɛnt ðə ˈ(h)wiːl/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.05 in modern English

Syllables
re-in-vent the wheel
IPA
/ˌɹiːɪnˌvɛnt ðə ˈ(h)wiːl/
28
Scrabble Score
16
Letters
3
Syllables
9
Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To do work unnecessarily when it has already been done satisfactorily by others; to attempt to devise a solution to a problem when a solution already exists.

Example Sentences

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /ˌɹiːɪnˌvɛnt ðə ˈ(h)wiːl/
  • British English: /ˌɹiːɪnˌvɛnt ðə ˈ(h)wiːl/

Inflected Forms

Phrases

Frequently Paired Words

Questions

How do you pronounce reinvent the wheel?
The recorded pronunciation is /ˌɹiːɪnˌvɛnt ðə ˈ(h)wiːl/.
What does reinvent the wheel mean?
To do work unnecessarily when it has already been done satisfactorily by others; to attempt to devise a solution to a problem when a solution already exists.

How to pronounce reinvent the wheel

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “reinvent the wheel”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˌɹiːɪnˌvɛnt ðə ˈ(h)wiːl/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “reinvent the wheel”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “reinvent the wheel” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.