"Resign" vs. "Re-sign"

How a single hyphen can fundamentally change the meaning of a word in English

A hyphen can drastically change the meaning of a word in English. Here is an example: "Resign" versus "Re-sign". They look similar, but they mean very different things.

• To resign means to voluntarily leave a job or position.
  “She decided to resign from her position as manager.”

• To re-sign means to sign a contract again, often to renew an agreement.
  “The company decided to re-sign the lease for their office space.”

There is also a difference in the pronunciation:

• “Resign” is pronounced with a "z" sound for the "s". The emphasis is on the second syllable.

• “Re-sign” is pronounced with a distinct "REE" sound in the first syllable, and it has a regular "s" sound in the second syllable. Both syllables have emphases.