Reacquire vs. Re-acquire – Which is Correct?
Both “reacquire” and “re-acquire” are acceptable spellings of the verb meaning “to acquire again.” “Reacquire” is the standard, more common form in American English, while “re-acquire” uses a hyphen for readability or emphasis. In most professional writing, choose “reacquire,” unless the hyphen prevents confusion or follows style preferring hyphenated compounds.
Because spelling choices can affect meaning and credibility, writers should also distinguish Acquire vs. Aquire when checking related forms.
Reacquire or Re-acquire – Which is Correct?
Both reacquire and re-acquire are valid forms of the same verb. They mean to obtain, purchase, regain, or secure something again after having acquired it before.
Reacquire, written as one word, is the standard form in contemporary American English and is generally the best choice for ordinary professional, academic, and business writing. Re-acquire, written with a hyphen, is also acceptable when the writer wants to emphasize the prefix re-, improve readability, or follow a particular editorial style.
The difference is therefore one of spelling style rather than meaning or pronunciation. The prefix re- means “again,” and acquire means “obtain.” Together, they create the meaning “obtain again.”
The Best Trick to Remember the Difference
Use the again test: replace the beginning of the word with the phrase “obtain again.” If the sentence still makes sense, both spellings may work. In most cases, write the compact form reacquire. Use re-acquire only when separating re- from the base word makes the meaning especially clear or matches a publication’s style guide.
| Word | Part of Speech | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| reacquire | Verb | To acquire or obtain again | The company plans to reacquire its former subsidiary. |
| re-acquire | Verb | To acquire or obtain again, with the prefix emphasized | The museum hopes to re-acquire the missing painting. |
How to Use Reacquire
Reacquire is a transitive verb, so it normally takes a direct object: a person or organization reacquires something. It can refer to buying back an asset, obtaining a former possession again, regaining a skill, or recovering a status or right.
The closed form is appropriate in formal, technical, business, legal, and casual writing. It is particularly common in discussions of corporate ownership, intellectual property, real estate, collections, data, and personal abilities.
Example 1: The technology company decided to reacquire the patent from its former partner.
Example 2: After several months of practice, the athlete began to reacquire her previous level of confidence.
Example 3: The library worked with donors to reacquire books that had been removed from its historic collection.
What are the different forms of Reacquire?
Reacquire is a regular verb. Its principal forms are reacquire in the present tense, reacquired in the past tense and past participle, and reacquiring as the present participle or gerund.
- Present: The firm reacquires selected properties.
- Past: The firm reacquired the property last year.
- Present participle: The firm is reacquiring several properties.
- Past participle: The firm has reacquired its original brand.
When adding -ed or -ing, the spelling remains clear: reacquired and reacquiring. The same forms apply to the hyphenated variant: re-acquired and re-acquiring.
Etymology of the word Reacquire
Reacquire combines the Latin-derived prefix re-, meaning “again” or “back,” with acquire, which comes through Anglo-French from Latin acquirere, meaning “to gain” or “obtain.” The closed spelling developed as English increasingly combined common prefixes with base words.
How to Use Re-acquire
Re-acquire has the same meaning and grammatical function as reacquire. The hyphen visually separates the prefix re- from acquire, which can help readers process the word as “acquire again.” It may also be used when an organization, publication, or legal document follows a house style that retains hyphens in certain prefixed words.
Although the hyphenated form is acceptable, it is less common than reacquire in most current American English writing. Writers should use one form consistently within the same document.
Example 1: The university hopes to re-acquire the original documents for its archive.
Example 2: The publisher may re-acquire the translation rights after the contract expires.
Example 3: The former owner sought to re-acquire the property after selling it during a financial crisis.
What are the different forms of Re-acquire?
Re-acquire is also a regular verb. Its forms are re-acquire, re-acquired, and re-acquiring. The hyphen is retained in the past-tense and participial forms.
- Present: The company plans to re-acquire the brand.
- Past: The company re-acquired the brand in 2025.
- Present participle: The company is re-acquiring its former assets.
- Past participle: The company has re-acquired control of the operation.
Etymology of the word Re-acquire
Re-acquire has the same linguistic origin as reacquire. The hyphen does not change the word’s history or meaning; it simply displays the prefix re- as a separate element attached to the verb acquire.
Related Concepts
Understanding prefixes and compound-word spelling makes it easier to choose between reacquire and re-acquire.
- Prefix: A prefix is a word element placed before a base word. In reacquire, the prefix re- means “again” or “back.”
- Closed compounds: A closed compound is written as one word, without a space or hyphen. Reacquire is the preferred closed form in most contexts.
- Hyphenated compounds: A hyphenated form joins word elements with a short line. Re-acquire may be chosen for clarity, emphasis, or adherence to a style guide.
- Transitive verbs: A transitive verb acts on a direct object. Someone reacquires or re-acquires something, such as property, rights, knowledge, or control.
Examples from Media and Literature
The verb appears in many kinds of real-world writing, especially when a person or organization obtains something again.
- Business news: A report about a corporation purchasing a former subsidiary may state that the company plans to reacquire the business.
- Arts coverage: An article about a museum recovering a previously sold artifact may explain that the institution is trying to re-acquire the work.
- Sports writing: A profile of an injured athlete may describe the player’s effort to reacquire strength, timing, or confidence.
- Historical nonfiction: A book about a nation or institution recovering lost territory may use reacquire to describe the process.
- Technology reporting: An article about a company recovering intellectual property or user data may use either spelling, depending on the publication’s editorial style.
Practice Exercises
Choose the correct word to complete each sentence. In several sentences, both forms are grammatically possible; select the form that is generally preferred in standard American English.
- The company intends to ________ the trademark after the licensing agreement ends.
- The museum hopes to ________ the sculpture that was sold decades ago.
- After years away from the language, she worked to ________ her fluency.
- The publisher will ________ the rights if the author does not renew the contract.
- The firm’s plan to ________ its former division made business headlines.
Answer Key
- reacquire — The closed form is the standard choice.
- reacquire — The closed form is preferred in ordinary writing.
- reacquire — The verb means to obtain a skill again.
- reacquire — The hyphenated form, re-acquire, is also acceptable if required by a style guide.
- reacquire — The one-word spelling is generally more common.
Reacquire Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Obtain again | To get or receive something another time |
| Regain | To get back something previously possessed, such as control or confidence |
| Recover | To get something back after loss or removal |
| Buy back | To purchase something again, especially an asset or property |
| Retrieve | To bring or obtain something back |
Re-acquire Synonyms
| Synonym | Definition |
|---|---|
| Regain | To recover something that was previously held or experienced |
| Recover | To get back something lost, taken, or sold |
| Repurchase | To buy something again |
| Retrieve | To bring something back or obtain it again |
| Reclaim | To take back something that was lost, surrendered, or taken |
Frequently Asked Questions
Question 1: Is reacquire or re-acquire correct?
Both spellings are correct. However, reacquire is the standard and more common form in American English, so it is usually the best choice.
Question 2: Is reacquire one word?
Yes. Reacquire is conventionally written as one word. The alternative re-acquire includes a hyphen but has the same meaning.
Question 3: What does reacquire mean?
Reacquire means to acquire, obtain, purchase, regain, or secure something again. For example, a company can reacquire a subsidiary, or a person can reacquire a lost skill.
Question 4: Is re-acquire more formal than reacquire?
No. The hyphenated form is not inherently more formal. It may emphasize the prefix, improve readability, or reflect a specific editorial style, but reacquire is fully appropriate in formal writing.
Question 5: What is the past tense of reacquire?
The past tense is reacquired. The hyphenated variant is re-acquired.
Conclusion
Reacquire and re-acquire are both acceptable spellings of the verb meaning “to acquire again.” In most American English writing, use reacquire because it is the standard closed form. Choose re-acquire when a hyphen improves clarity or follows an established style guide. Pro Tip: Consistent, standard spelling strengthens your professional reputation, so use reacquire unless you have a clear reason to retain the hyphen.
