reform
Americannoun
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the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc..
social reform; spelling reform.
- Synonyms:
- amelioration, betterment, reformation, correction
- Antonyms:
- deterioration
-
an instance of this.
-
the amendment of conduct, belief, etc.
verb (used with object)
-
to change to a better state, form, etc.; improve by alteration, substitution, abolition, etc.
-
to cause (a person) to abandon wrong or evil ways of life or conduct.
-
to put an end to (abuses, disorders, etc.).
-
Chemistry. to subject to the process of reforming, as in refining petroleum.
verb (used without object)
adjective
verb
-
(tr) to improve (an existing institution, law, practice, etc) by alteration or correction of abuses
-
to give up or cause to give up a reprehensible habit or immoral way of life
-
chem to change the molecular structure of (a hydrocarbon) to make it suitable for use as petrol by heat, pressure, and the action of catalysts
noun
-
an improvement or change for the better, esp as a result of correction of legal or political abuses or malpractices
-
a principle, campaign, or measure aimed at achieving such change
-
improvement of morals or behaviour, esp by giving up some vice
Other Word Forms
- antireform adjective
- misreform verb
- prereform adjective
- proreform adjective
- reformability noun
- reformable adjective
- reformableness noun
- reformative adjective
- reformatively adverb
- reformativeness noun
- reformer noun
- reformingly adverb
- self-reform noun
- superreform noun
- unreformable adjective
- unreformative adjective
Etymology
Origin of reform
First recorded in 1300–50; (for the verb) Middle English reformen, from Middle French reformer, Old French, from Latin refōrmāre; equivalent to re- + form; noun derivative of the verb
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.
Over the years, UC has moved to recruit a diversity of students and, in the early 2000s, launched two major reforms.
From Los Angeles Times
At the end of their 2018 legislative session, California lawmakers approved a number of legal reforms, many aimed at keeping homeless people out of jail.
From Los Angeles Times
The reforms also aim to give the home affairs minister new powers to cancel or refuse visas for those who spread hate.
From BBC
Albanese had previously argued that reforms on gun ownership and hate speech, steps to tackle antisemitism and a review into intelligence and law enforcement agencies offered the quickest response.
From BBC
It also comes with housing policy in the spotlight after the president said in December that he would “announce some of the most aggressive housing reform plans in American history” in early 2026.
From Barron's
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.
