reform

[ri-fawrm]

noun

1. the improvement or amendment of what is wrong, corrupt, unsatisfactory, etc..

   social reform; spelling reform.

   Synonyms: amelioration, betterment, reformation, correction
   Antonyms: deterioration

2. an instance of this.

3. the amendment of conduct, belief, etc.

verb (used with object)

1. to change to a better state, form, etc.; improve by alteration, substitution, abolition, etc.

   Synonyms: restore, repair, ameliorate, emend, amend, correct, rectify, better

2. to cause (a person) to abandon wrong or evil ways of life or conduct.

3. to put an end to (abuses, disorders, etc.).

4. Chemistry.,  to subject to the process of reforming, as in refining petroleum.

verb (used without object)

1. to abandon evil conduct or error.

   The drunkard promised to reform.

adjective

1. (initial capital letter),  of, relating to, or characteristic of Reform Jews or Reform Judaism.

   a Reform rabbi.

reform

/ rɪˈfɔːm /

verb

1. (tr) to improve (an existing institution, law, practice, etc) by alteration or correction of abuses

2. to give up or cause to give up a reprehensible habit or immoral way of life

3. 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

1. an improvement or change for the better, esp as a result of correction of legal or political abuses or malpractices

2. a principle, campaign, or measure aimed at achieving such change

3. improvement of morals or behaviour, esp by giving up some vice

Other Word Forms

• reformable adjective
• reformability noun
• reformableness noun
• reformative adjective
• reformatively adverb
• reformativeness noun
• reformingly adverb
• antireform adjective
• misreform verb
• prereform adjective
• proreform adjective
• self-reform noun
• superreform noun
• unreformable adjective
• unreformative adjective
• reformer noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of reform¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of reform¹

C14: via Old French from Latin reformāre to form again

Example Sentences

Her interest in criminal justice has been documented on her reality TV shows, where she has advocated for prison reform in the US and sentence reduction for first-time offenders.

Read more on BBC

Good luck waiting for the GOP to reform Social Security or Medicare before there’s a fiscal crisis.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Aimee Bradley urged the government and local authorities to "really listen to parents" and called for better funding and reform of Send provision.

Read more on BBC

Disagreements between Bangladeshi politicians have stalled a key democratic reform plan, the interim government said Monday, giving parties a week to reach consensus or face unilateral action.

Read more on Barron's

But countries were forced to enact structural reforms like raising retirement ages, streamlining bureaucracy, privatizing industries and overhauling labor laws.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• amend 
• improve 
• rebuild 
• rehabilitate 
• remake 
• renovate 
• reorganize 
• repair 
• resolve 
• restore 
• revise 
• revolutionize 
• standardize 
• transform