rehabilitate
Americanverb (used with object)
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to restore to a condition of good health, ability to work, or the like.
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to restore to good condition, operation, or management, as a bankrupt business.
- Synonyms:
- refurbish, reconstruct, recondition, restore, salvage
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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.
If an insurer becomes financially impaired, state regulators take control and either rehabilitate the company or transfer its annuity obligations to a financially stronger insurer.
The Tripoli government has invested more than five million dollars in rehabilitating the museum and its surrounding area, despite the oil-rich country's economic woes including frequent cash and fuel shortages.
From Barron's
Borrowers who are in default can either rehabilitate their loan — which requires them to make nine on-time monthly payments in 10 months — or consolidate their loan to become current again.
From MarketWatch
A draft plan, completed in 2016, called for 1,200 units of housing in new and rehabilitated buildings, with a commitment to complete more than 770 units by the end of 2022.
From Los Angeles Times
They also smuggled in equipment and paid workmen to rehabilitate water and electricity infrastructure.
From Los Angeles Times
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.