rehabilitate
Americanverb (used with object)
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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)
verb
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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
Other Word Forms
- nonrehabilitation noun
- nonrehabilitative adjective
- rehabilitation noun
- rehabilitative adjective
- rehabilitator noun
- unrehabilitated adjective
Etymology
Origin of rehabilitate
1570–80; < Medieval Latin rehabilitātus, past participle of rehabilitāre to restore. See re-, habilitate
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.
Academics were useful props as Epstein embarked on a campaign to rehabilitate his image as a science-oriented philanthropist after his 2008 criminal conviction.
He feared the Tibetan mastiff's behaviour issues were putting his children at risk and, after several attempts to rehabilitate her, decided to use Save A Paw.
From BBC
The veteran superstar had a back operation in September 2024 and was rehabilitating from that setback when he announced in March of 2025 that he had suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon.
From Barron's
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
The spokesperson said not all sea life centres were experienced or had the facilities to rehabilitate loggerhead turtles - but Hunstanton was one of them.
From BBC
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.
