What does remarrying mean?
Remarrying means marrying again after an earlier marriage has ended, whether through divorce, annulment, or the death of a spouse. The word carries a clear sense of sequence and personal history: a remarrying person has already been married and is choosing to enter another marriage. It is used in neutral and formal contexts and may describe remarriage at any stage of life, including remarriage in later adulthood. The term can be sensitive when discussing widows because remarriage may be connected with companionship, security, or changes in family life. In general usage, however, it simply and accurately identifies the act of marrying again, without implying why the previous marriage ended or whether the new relationship is permanent.
verb (present participle)Present participle of remarry: to marry again after a previous marriage has ended.
- To marry again after a previous marriage has ended through divorce, annulment, or the death of a spouse.
"After years of grieving, she spent her later years remarrying and rebuilding her life."
"The widower spent several years adjusting before remarrying in his early sixties."
"She was often described as remarrying for companionship rather than romance."
Remarrying hides a whole life story in one word: the previous marriage, its ending, and the decision to begin again.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does remarrying come from?
Remarrying derives from remarry, formed by combining the prefix re-, meaning “again,” with marry. Marry came through Old French marier from Latin maritare, related to marital and marriage. The prefix gives the modern verb its defining sense of entering a marriage after an earlier one has ended.
Related word forms
How remarrying is actually used
Remarrying is a formal or neutral term. It may be used for any person, but historically it has sometimes been applied more frequently to widows and divorced women than to men. In contemporary usage, gender-neutral alternatives are preferred where appropriate.