Synonyms

rehabilitate

American

[ree-huh-bil-i-teyt, ree-uh-] / ˌri həˈbɪl ɪˌteɪt, ˌri ə- /

verb (used with object)

to restore to a condition of good health, ability to work, or the like.
to restore to good condition, operation, or management, as a bankrupt business.

Synonyms:

refurbish, reconstruct, recondition, restore, salvage
to reestablish the good reputation of (a person, one's character or name, etc.).
to restore formally to former capacity, standing, rank, rights, or privileges.

verb (used without object)

to undergo rehabilitation.

rehabilitate British

/ ˌriːəˈbɪlɪˌteɪt /

verb

to help (a person who has acquired a disability or addiction or who has just been released from prison) to readapt to society or a new job, as by vocational guidance, retraining, or therapy
to restore to a former position or rank
to restore the good reputation of

"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

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of rehabilitate

1570–80; < Medieval Latin rehabilitātus, past participle of rehabilitāre to restore. See re-, habilitate

Explanation

If you have been in a bad accident or have an addiction problem, you may go away for a stretch of time to rehabilitate yourself or, in other words, bring yourself back to health. Though we hear a lot about rehabilitation or "rehab" in the press in connection with drugs or alcohol, the word rehabilitate has a lot of other meanings. You can rehabilitate a building's structure by reinforcing it with steel beams, or rehabilitate your bad reputation by staying after school to help clean up the grounds.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing rehabilitate

"A Retrieved Reformation" by O. Henry

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!

Word Generation Social Studies - Complex Questions Related to American Democracy

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!

Frightful's Mountain

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.

But he said the Tartan Army had helped rehabilitate the image.

From BBC • Jul. 3, 2026

Aiming to rehabilitate Zibo’s image as an industrial backwater, Jiang promoted the city as a production center for precooked meals, aiming to “allow the ‘Zibo flavor’ to spread its fragrance around the world.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 28, 2026

But Epstein courted influence and rubbed shoulders with prominent individuals associated with both parties in his efforts to rehabilitate his reputation.

From Salon • Jun. 27, 2026

The publicist’s participation in the gala came at a pivotal time for Epstein, who was seeking to rehabilitate his image, which had been badly damaged by his 2008 conviction.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 16, 2026

Plants and animals found a way to rehabilitate the land around Mount St. Helens, and the ecologists and scientists studied all they could.

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023