rehabilitation
Britishnoun
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the act or process of rehabilitating
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med
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the treatment of physical disabilities by massage, electrotherapy, or exercises
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( as modifier )
rehabilitation centre
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Explanation
Rehabilitation is the act of restoring something to its original state, like the rehabilitation of the forest that had once been cleared for use as an amusement park. The noun rehabilitation comes from the Latin prefix re-, meaning “again” and habitare, meaning “make fit.” When something falls in to disrepair and needs to be restored to a better condition, it needs rehabilitation. People seek rehabilitation after an accident or surgery to restore their strength, or to learn to live without drugs or other addictive substances or behaviors.
Vocabulary lists containing rehabilitation
Flowers for Algernon
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A Long Way Gone
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The Perks of Being a Wallflower
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The VA’s 2027 budget proposal sought $500 million for eight projects, including a parking structure and rehabilitation of six existing buildings, but no funds for new housing.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
These factors, and others, convinced the judge that he could not detain the boys because the guidelines for sentencing children say that custody is a "last resort", with the priority being rehabilitation.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
“All these Kumbaya things,” said Conte, who heads companies in water pipeline rehabilitation and fiber-optic construction.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 4, 2026
The largest recent renovation of the White House reflecting pool occurred during the Obama administration, when a years-long rehabilitation project was completed at a cost of roughly $34 million.
From Salon • May 31, 2026
After his rehabilitation, my father didn’t need us shuttling back and forth anymore.
From "Native Speaker" by Chang-rae Lee
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
