renovation

American  

[ren-uh-vay-shuhn] / ˌrɛn əˈveɪ ʃən /

noun

• renovations
  plural

1. the act or process of repairing, renewing, or restoring to good condition.

   The project will include interior and exterior renovation and rehabilitation to upgrade the school’s infrastructure.

2. the act of reinvigorating or reviving.

   The transition to organic growing will require an investment of labor and capital to complete the orchard renovation, install new plantings, and build economic viability.

3. Usually renovations something that has been repaired or restored to a better condition, or the work done to repair or restore something.

   Renovations to the theater include new doors and windows, a new lighting system, and a refurbished floor for the stage.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• renovations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of renovation

First recorded in 1400–50, for an earlier sense; from Latin renovātiōn-, stem of renovātiō “renewal”; see renovate ( def. ), -ion ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does renovation compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• renovation vs. remodel

Explanation

Renovation is the act of renewing or restoring something. If your kitchen is undergoing a renovation, there’s probably plaster and paint all over the place and you should probably get take-out. The roots of renovation refer to newness and doing something again — it’s from the Latin re- for "again" and novare which means, "make new.” A rundown building is in need of renovation, or a website that's being redesigned is under renovation. After renovation, things look new and improved. Before the word underwent renovation, in the early 15th century, renovacyoun meant "spiritual rebirth,” which is how you might feel after your kitchen is redone.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

renovation renovations

This is what gets lost in the noise of storms and lawsuits and renovation budgets: Entertainment is everywhere, but inspiration is rare.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

He worked on the Pentagon renovation after 9/11.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 3, 2026

The latest renovation is scheduled for completion next year.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026

The OIG's investigation centered around a major building renovation project at the Fed's Washington headquarters whose cost estimates grew from $1.3 billion in February 2020 to $2.4 billion in December 2024.

From Barron's ● Sep. 30, 2026

The family computer was in the old part of the house, what had been the front room before the renovation.

From "Educated" by Tara Westover

Hours after a federal judge blocked the president’s attempt to restore his name, the Kennedy Center’s board voted on Sept. 15 to shutter the venue for renovations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026

Spielberg’s vision also reportedly included more than $7 million worth of renovations, as well as plans to construct a 2,400-square-foot guesthouse and a three-story guardhouse.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026

By 2007, they were in the process of withdrawing from eight to four floors, after having spent $1 million on renovations, and renting the other four out.

From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2026

Today, my wife, Tonya Winfield, and I are living in Century City in Los Angeles while our house in Bel-Air undergoes renovations following damage from atmospheric river storms a few years back.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 15, 2026

Piper and Nico struggled down from the emperor’s box as the Colosseum’s magical renovations began to turn into mist.

From "The Mark of Athena" by Rick Riordan

Related Words

• improvement
• renewal
• repair
• restoration
• upgrade