Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

overhaul

American  
[oh-ver-hawl, oh-ver-hawl, oh-ver-hawl] / ˌoʊ vərˈhɔl, ˈoʊ vərˌhɔl, ˈoʊ vərˌhɔl /

verb (used with object)

  1. to make necessary repairs on; restore to serviceable condition.

    My car was overhauled by an expert mechanic.

  2. to investigate or examine thoroughly for repair or revision.

    Next year we're going to overhaul the curriculum.

  3. to gain upon, catch up with, or overtake, as in a race.

  4. to haul or turn over for examination.

  5. Nautical.

    1. to slacken (a rope) by hauling in the opposite direction to that in which the rope was drawn taut.

    2. to release the blocks of (a tackle).

noun

  1. Also overhauling. a general examination and repair.

    The state roads were badly in need of a major overhaul.
overhaul British  

verb

  1. to examine carefully for faults, necessary repairs, etc

  2. to make repairs or adjustments to (a car, machine, etc)

  3. to overtake

"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

noun

  1. a thorough examination and repair

"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

Other Word Forms

  • overhauler noun
  • unoverhauled adjective

Etymology

Origin of overhaul

First recorded in 1620–30; over- + haul

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.

Such changes would go hand in hand with an overhaul of the department’s much-maligned disciplinary system, which has faced criticism from some corners for not meting out harsh enough punishments when officers shoot unarmed people.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

“We’re talking about a complete overhaul of how war is waged and how it should be envisioned in the future.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

There have been calls to lower the interest rate on Plan 2 student loans as part of a wider overhaul of the system.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

Apple delivered new Siri capabilities piecemeal in the following months, and the company announced in March 2025 that a full Siri overhaul would be pushed to 2026.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

He’d led an overhaul of state campaign finance laws that ushered in stricter ethics rules for elected officials.

From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama

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.