restructure

American  

[ree-struhk-cher] / riˈstrʌk tʃər /

verb (used with object)

restructures, present (3rd person singular) restructured, past participle, past restructuring present participle

1. to change, alter, or restore the structure of.

   to restructure a broken nose.

2. to effect a fundamental change in (as an organization or system).

3. to recombine (bits of inexpensive meats), especially by mechanical means, into simulated steaks, fillets, etc.

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verb (used without object)

restructures, present (3rd person singular) restructured, past participle, past restructuring present participle

1. to restructure something.

noun

1. the act or an instance of restructuring.

restructure British  

/ riːˈstrʌktʃə /

verb

1. (tr) to organize (a system, business, society, etc) in a different way

   radical attempts to restructure the economy

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• restructurer
  noun
• restructuring
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• restructuring
  present
• restructured
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• restructure
  simple
• restructures
  simple
• have restructured
  perfect
• has restructured
  perfect
• am restructuring
  progressive
• are restructuring
  progressive
• is restructuring
  progressive
• have been restructuring
  perfect progressive
• has been restructuring
  perfect progressive

Past

• restructured
  simple
• had restructured
  perfect
• was restructuring
  progressive
• were restructuring
  progressive
• had been restructuring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will restructure
  simple
• will have restructured
  perfect
• will be restructuring
  progressive
• will have been restructuring
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of restructure

First recorded in 1940–45; re- + structure

Explanation

When you restructure something, you organize it in a different way so it’ll work better, like a practice schedule a coach restructures to get in more morning sessions before a big game. The verb restructure often refers to a company that is changing the way it operates in order to be more efficient. In many cases, this means laying off employees, closing locations, or working with creditors to change the speed at which debt is repaid. The goal of this kind of restructuring is for the company to stay in business through a rough time in its history.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

restructure restructures restructured restructuring

Beverly Hills-based Fat Brands Inc. said in a statement that it filed for bankruptcy on Monday to restructure the debt it accumulated while expanding its company portfolio, citing ‘difficult and largely unforeseen’ market conditions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

German carmakers have long complained of high costs and onerous red tape while critics contend the companies themselves need to restructure and improve how they are run.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

Unicef claims the interim government, under Muhammad Yunus, delayed ordering vaccines last year, opting instead to consider new vendors and restructure how the purchases were financed.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

AI is improving ad targeting and recommendation systems, which keep users on the apps longer, while forcing agencies to restructure and invest in new technologies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026

Hoover wanted the new investigation to be a showcase for his bureau, which he had continued to restructure.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

As it restructures in a bid to escape the doldrums, Ubisoft in June closed studios in Canada's Winnipeg and the Serbian capital Belgrade.

From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026

BP named Gordon Birrell head of upstream and Richard Harding interim head of downstream as it restructures.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026

“If overspending or unstable income is the root issue, the loan just restructures the pain.”

From MarketWatch ● Feb. 26, 2026

Professor Lockerby's work restructures Cunningham's original idea into a broader and more flexible form.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 8, 2026

Retail giant Nordstrom is closing its sprawling Santa Monica Place store as it restructures its network to try to better target customers who have moved to online shopping.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 1, 2025

It funded an overhaul of elite academies and restructured the system.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

"Even when I started you could see, and you'd always read about it in the news, that this or that part of the business was being restructured," he said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026

According to Trauben, Rancho Humilde and Fuerza Regida, both parties entered a completely new agreement in 2022 that fundamentally restructured their entire business relationship, fully terminating the initial 2018 contract in place.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 29, 2026

SpaceX in recent months has restructured itself around the desire to build out its artificial-intelligence capabilities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026

Big Creek was to be restructured, he said, beginning with the junior class.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

Earlier this week, Boston Scientific said it planned to lay off staff as part of a new restructuring plan.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

PayPal has been trying to cut costs through restructuring its business and accelerating artificial intelligence adoption.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

United Parcel Service raised its full-year outlook after revenue climbed in the second quarter, as the company said its yearslong restructuring efforts are bearing fruit.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 29, 2026

Through the restructuring, BuzzFeed’s leaders said, the company will aim to grow its audience and bolster its positon in free streaming content.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

Genuine equality for black people, King reasoned, demanded a radical restructuring of society, one that would address the needs of the black and white poor throughout the country.

From "The New Jim Crow" by Michelle Alexander

Related Words

• reconstruct
• reshuffle
• revamp