rewire

verb

re·​wire (ˌ)rē-ˈwī(-ə)r 

rewired; rewiring

transitive verb

1

: to provide or connect (something) with wire again

especially : to replace the electrical wiring of (something, such as a building or electronic device)

rewired the house

rewire a circuit board

2

: to make lasting and usually beneficial changes to the neurological or psychological functioning of (a person or brain)

—not used technically

The injured brain, moreover, can rewire itself.

—Joan Didion

Not only do studies show that meditation is boosting their immune system, but brain scans suggest that it may be rewiring their brains to reduce stress.

—Joel Stein

… nearly nine out of 10 adult smokers started smoking by age 18; nicotine can rewire youths' brains, making heroin and other opioids even more addictive.

—Delia DeRiggiWhitton

Can you rewire yourself? I went back through pivotal points in my life, when one should be happy.

—Kim Korson

Examples of rewire in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

At this pivotal moment - as AI reshapes society, mental health crises deepen, and social media rewires human connection - the data suggests success requires more than any single leadership style. —Gemma Allen, Forbes, 19 Jan. 2025

But trying to rewire supply chains only with direct incentives, as the CHIPS and Science Act and the IRA offer, will not be enough. —Elizabeth Economy, Foreign Affairs, 14 Jan. 2025

According to Yi Shan Lee, MD, a clinical assistant professor in the department of medicine at NYU Grossman School of Medicine, research suggests moderate to vigorous physical activity may increase the brain's ability to create new cells and rewire itself, helping to strengthen memory. —Lauryn Higgins, Health, 17 Dec. 2024

Foreign and domestic businesses and crypto capitalists will rewire the infrastructure of the world economy to make more money, just as their forebears did in the early days of the U.S. empire, when the state was underdeveloped. —Henry Farrell, Foreign Affairs, 23 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1