renovation

American  

[ren-uh-vey-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

The US Supreme Court on Friday allowed construction of a massive White House ballroom to continue for now, giving President Donald Trump a temporary victory for one of his pet renovation projects.

From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026

There is a long history of presidents engaging in construction and renovation projects on the White House and its grounds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026

The stadium has been undergoing renovation works for more than a decade, with it planned to be among the 11 Spanish stadia used to co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Portugal and Morocco.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

When Joshua Min started at Cal State Long Beach in 2025, a $315-million renovation project had just shut down its University Student Union through 2028.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 9, 2026

They were delighted with the renovation and decorations of their rooms; with the new drapery, and fresh carpets, and rich tinted china vases: they expressed their gratification ungrudgingly.

From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë

In fact, the facility’s playhouse, opera theater and concert hall are due for major renovations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

The museum generally does not loan the painting "because she is our most important and precious painting", but the renovations allowed it to travel, Gosselink told AFP.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

Lowe’s trimmed its full-year sales and profit targets, signaling that price-conscious homeowners are delaying major renovations and compounding back-half headwinds.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 19, 2026

The board on Thursday also voted to proceed with a two-year closure for proposed renovations, which was earlier blocked by a federal judge.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

Provided there were no renovations, we basically have a map now and know exactly which two rooms to send the robot into.

From "Fast Pitch" by Nic Stone

Related Words

• improvement
• renewal
• repair
• restoration
• upgrade