What does reconsideration mean?
Reconsideration is the act or process of thinking about a matter again, usually because a decision, judgment, or plan may need to be changed or better justified. It is especially common in formal and legal settings, as in a request that a decision receive reconsideration, but it also applies to personal reflection: someone may reconsider an offer, a strategy, or an opinion without necessarily reversing it. The word suggests a fresh and serious assessment rather than a quick change of mind, and it often carries the implication that earlier reasoning will be examined. It can be a count noun for a specific review and an uncountable noun for the broader process. Related terms such as review, reassessment, and reappraisal emphasize evaluation; reconsideration specifically foregrounds the fact that something has already been considered once. This makes the word useful when an earlier decision needs to be challenged, clarified, or reconsidered rather than simply accepted or rejected outright.
nounThe act or process of considering a matter again, especially because a decision, judgment, or plan may need to be changed or better justified. It may also refer to a second, careful review of an issue or opinion.
- A renewed and careful examination of a decision, judgment, plan, opinion, or issue, with the possibility that it will be changed.
"After months of reconsideration, the committee decided to reverse its earlier decision."
"The appeal remains under reconsideration by the planning committee."
"Her reconsideration of the offer led her to negotiate for better terms."
Usually uncountable when referring to the general process, but countable and plural for separate instances of renewed review.
"The board documented two separate reconsiderations of the disputed policy."
Reconsideration puts “again” at the heart of judgment, making an earlier decision explain itself all over again.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does reconsideration come from?
The English noun was formed by adding the suffix -ation to reconsider, which combines the Latinate prefix re-, meaning “again,” with consider. Consider came through Old French from Latin considerare, “to look at closely” or “examine.” Words such as consideration, considerate, and reconsider share this Roman inheritance, while reconsideration specifically adds the idea of examining or deciding upon something again.
How reconsideration is actually used
Formal and neutral, with especially frequent use in legal, administrative, and institutional contexts. It denotes renewed examination and does not necessarily mean that the original decision will be reversed.
Easily confused with reconsideration
Reconsideration means examining a decision or issue again, whereas reconciliation means resolving differences or restoring harmony between people or positions.