Paraphrasing dictionary definition | paraphrasing defined

paraphrasing

Use paraphrasing in a sentence

verb

Paraphrasing is defined as restating something in a shorter version, or expressing the meaning of something using different words.
When you explain what an essay said by using different words and shortening the text, this is an example of paraphrasing the essay.

paraphrasing

Verb

Present participle of paraphrase.

Noun

(plural paraphrasings)

A paraphrased statement.

paraphrasing

Variant of paraphrase

noun

1. a rewording of something spoken or written, usually for the purpose of making its meaning clearer
2. the use of this as a literary or teaching device
an approximate rendering of a quotation, saying, etc. whose exact words cannot be cited or recalled
a free reworking of a musical text or composition

Origin of paraphrase

French ; from Classical Latin paraphrasis ; from Classical Greek ; from paraphrazein, to say in other words: see para- and amp; phrase

transitive verb

paraphrased, paraphrasing

to express in a paraphrase

intransitive verb

to compose a paraphrase

Related Forms:

paraphraser
noun

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“What makes The Joker tick I wonder?” Fredric said. “I mean what are his real motivations?” “Consider him at any level of conduct,” Bruce said slowly, “in the home, on the street, in interpersonal relations, in jail always there is an extraordinary contradiction. He is dirty and compulsively neat, aloof and desperately gregarious, enthusiastic and sullen, generous and stingy, a snappy dresser and a scarecrow, a gentleman and a boor, given to extremes of happiness and despair, singularly well able to apply himself and capable of frittering away a lifetime in trivial pursuits, decorous and unseemly, kind and cruel, tolerant yet open to the most outrageous varieties of bigotry, a great friend and an implacable enemy, a lover and abominator of women, sweet-spoken and foul-mouthed, a rake and a puritan, swelling with hubris and haunted by inferiority, outcast and social climber, felon and philanthropist, barbarian and patron of the arts, enamored of novelty and solidly conservative, philosopher and fool, Republican and Democrat, large of soul and unbearably petty, distant and brimming with friendly impulses, an inveterate liar and astonishingly strict with petty cash, adventurous and timid, imaginative and stolid, malignly destructive and a planter of trees on Arbor Day I tell you frankly, the man is a mess.” “That’s extremely well said Bruce,” Fredric stated. “I think you’ve given a very thoughtful analysis.” “I was paraphrasing what Mark Schorer said about Sinclair Lewis,” Bruce replied. Donald Barthelme