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Synonyms

rehabilitation

British  
/ ˌriːəˌbɪlɪˈteɪʃən /

noun

  1. the act or process of rehabilitating

  2. med

    1. the treatment of physical disabilities by massage, electrotherapy, or exercises

    2. ( as modifier )

      rehabilitation centre

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

rehabilitation Cultural  
  1. In politics, the restoration to favor of a political leader whose views or actions were formerly considered unacceptable. (Compare nonperson.)


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.

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Vocabulary lists containing rehabilitation

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.

“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

The Sentencing Council for England and Wales states even in very serious cases courts should prioritise rehabilitation for children and use custody as a last resort.

From BBC • May 30, 2026

Bullock said the committee had previously expressed support for the concept of rehabilitation.

From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026

As you can imagine, especially in a prison where there was heavy emphasis on rehabilitation, an inmate was smiled upon if he demonstrated an unusually intense interest in books.

From "The Autobiography of Malcolm X" by Alex Malcolm X;Hailey

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