regenerate
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to effect a complete moral reform in.
-
to re-create, reconstitute, or make over, especially in a better form or condition.
-
to revive or produce anew; bring into existence again.
-
Biology. to renew or restore (a lost, removed, or injured part).
-
Physics. to restore (a substance) to a favorable state or physical condition.
-
Electronics. to magnify the amplification of, by relaying part of the output circuit power into the input circuit.
-
Theology. to cause to be born again spiritually.
verb (used without object)
-
to come into existence or be formed again.
-
to reform; become regenerate.
-
to produce a regenerative effect.
-
to undergo regeneration.
adjective
-
reconstituted or made over in a better form.
-
Theology. born again spiritually.
verb
-
to undergo or cause to undergo moral, spiritual, or physical renewal or invigoration
-
to form or be formed again; come or bring into existence once again
-
to replace (lost or damaged tissues or organs) by new growth, or to cause (such tissues) to be replaced
-
chem to restore or be restored to an original physical or chemical state
-
(tr) electronics (in a digital system) to reshape (distorted incoming pulses) for onward transmission
adjective
Usage
What does regenerate mean? Regenerate means to renew or restore something, especially after it has been damaged or lost. The act or process of regenerating is regeneration. Both terms are commonly used in the context of biology to refer to the regrowth of part of an organism or environment. In this sense, a close synonym is regrow. In animals, tissue, organs, or other body parts that have been injured or lost are sometimes regenerated. In some animals, regeneration happens on an even greater scale, with some being able to regrow an entire limb or tail. Environments that have been damaged or destroyed, like forests or grasslands damaged by fire, can also regenerate. Regenerate can also be used in other specific ways. In the context of religion, regenerate can mean to be spiritually reborn. In chemistry, to regenerate is to restore or be restored to an original physical or chemical state. In audio electronics, regenerate means to increase amplification through a kind of feedback process. Much less commonly, regenerate can be used as an adjective meaning restored, renewed, reborn, or morally reformed. Example: It is hoped that the experimental treatment will reduce healing time by helping tissue to regenerate more quickly.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
regeneracynoun
-
regeneratenessnoun
-
regeneratornoun
-
nonregenerateadjective
-
nonregeneratingadjective
-
regenerableadjective
-
regenerativeadjective
-
unregenerableadjective
-
unregeneratingadjective
-
regenerativelyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
regeneratesimple
-
regeneratessimple
-
have regeneratedperfect
-
has regeneratedperfect
-
am regeneratingprogressive
-
are regeneratingprogressive
-
is regeneratingprogressive
-
have been regeneratingperfect progressive
-
has been regeneratingperfect progressive
Past
-
regeneratedsimple
-
had regeneratedperfect
-
was regeneratingprogressive
-
were regeneratingprogressive
-
had been regeneratingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of regenerate
1425–75; late Middle English (adj.) < Latin regenerātus, past participle of regenerāre to bring forth again, equivalent to re- re- + generātus; see generate
Explanation
Starfish are famous for their ability to regenerate, or regrow, a lost arm. Anything that revives in this magical way can be said to regenerate. While the verb regenerate can literally mean "produce anew," it can also describe what happens when something is fixed up, made "like new." An argument that's often made for bringing a new company, sports complex, casino, or other enterprise to a depressed area is that it will regenerate the town economically, bringing it back to life. In Latin, regeneratio means "being born again."
Vocabulary lists containing regenerate
This Week in Words: February 12 - 16, 2018
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
This Week In Words: Current Events Vocab for March 6–12, 2021
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
World Without Fish
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
See Examples For:
An advanced science student at Bronx High School of Science, he tried to regenerate neurons destroyed by disease as a school science project.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
I’m not a hermit, but I live in Wales, and I’m trying to regenerate the land and all this stuff.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 8, 2026
Current treatments are designed to control infection and inflammation, but they generally do little to regenerate damaged periodontal tissue.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 19, 2026
To cushion against a future cutback in defense spending, the U.K. government has allocated the equivalent of about $268 million to Team Barrow, a private-public partnership with BAE, to regenerate Barrow and diversify its economy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
I need to make progress and I need to regenerate oxygen.
From "The Martian" by Andy Weir
At the end of this evening's series finale, Gatwa regenerates into Billie Piper, who previously played the Doctor's companion, Rose Tyler.
From BBC ● May 31, 2025
Bamboo grows faster than eucalyptus and regenerates like a weed.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 23, 2024
When I ask about jararanko, he says “the lizard has a healing property that is astringent—it absorbs bruises and regenerates fractures or fissures.”
From National Geographic ● Oct. 26, 2023
“She’s a familiar name to many, although the Spanish-language market, more so than English, tends to be younger and regenerates itself more frequently, meaning Nava also has to reintroduce herself.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 25, 2023
He regenerates a good fifty yards behind me, with a new life bar.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
"We regenerated what you would expect to see at that level of injury," Muneoka said.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 17, 2026
Although the regenerated tissues were not exact matches to the original anatomy, the researchers successfully restored all of the major structures that had been removed during amputation, including bone, tendon, ligament, and joint tissue.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 17, 2026
It would allow us to overwhelm our adversaries with large, affordable salvos of weapons that can be built and regenerated quickly.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 24, 2026
Ncuti Gatwa regenerated into Billie Piper at the end of his final episode in May, but is she the new Doctor?
From BBC ● Dec. 28, 2025
This xenograft, as it’s called, would stay in place until the underlying tissue had regenerated enough to supply blood to the skin graft.
From "The 57 Bus" by Dashka Slater
These trees "need natural disturbances such as fires," according to the government department Environment Canada, but suffer from repeated, intense fires that prevent them from regenerating.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
And instead of a knee or hip replacement, you could get new bone and joint treatments designed to reverse physical decline entirely by regenerating tissue in damaged joints.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 14, 2026
With the local council spending £6.6m on regenerating the town, Ratcliffe feels it is a good time to expand her business.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
The most recent season concluded with a cliffhanger, with the Fifteenth Doctor regenerating into a form resembling Rose Tyler, the companion portrayed by Billie Piper.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 10, 2026
The presence of telomerase meant cells could keep regenerating their telomeres indefinitely.
From "The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks" by Rebecca Skloot
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.
