What does recouple mean?
To recouple is to begin a marriage, romantic partnership, or other pairing again after it has ended. The most familiar use concerns people who marry each other again after divorce or separation, making “recouple” a concise alternative to “remarry” when both partners are already known. The verb can also refer more broadly to two people or organizations resuming a partnership, as when businesses recouple after temporarily working apart. Its wording explicitly reverses the idea of uncoupling: one action breaks or ends a pairing, while the other restores or establishes it afresh. Although understandable in modern usage, recouple is less usual than remarry, reconcile, or resume. It may consequently sound slightly literary, formal, or intentionally vivid, especially when used metaphorically for a partnership that is being renewed.
verbTo marry someone again after a previous marriage has ended, or to form a couple or partnership again.
- To marry again after a previous marriage has ended.
- To form a couple, partnership, or connection again.
"After the divorce, she and her former husband decided to recouple."
"They chose to recouple after reconciling their differences."
"The two teams recoupled to create a stronger joint venture."
Recouple is the unusually literal opposite of uncouple: one ends a pairing, and the other begins it again.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does recouple come from?
Recouple combines the Latin-derived prefix re-, meaning “again,” with couple, a word borrowed from French and ultimately related to Latin copulare, “to join or unite.” The prefix indicates repetition, while couple supplies the idea of two people or entities joined together. In modern use, the compound most often describes remarriage, though its broader sense includes any renewed pairing or partnership.
Related word forms
How recouple is actually used
The word is relatively uncommon and is most often used for remarriage or the resumption of a romantic partnership. In broader senses, it can sound formal or metaphorical.
Easily confused with recouple
Recouple specifically means to marry or form a couple again, whereas rekindle means to revive a relationship, flame, interest, or other connection.
Recouple usually refers to a couple marrying or pairing again, while reunite more broadly means to bring people or things together again.