Synonyms

restore

American

[ri-stawr, -stohr] / rɪˈstɔr, -ˈstoʊr /

verb (used with object)

to bring back into existence, use, or the like; reestablish.

to restore order.
to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition, as a building, statue, or painting.

Synonyms:

mend
to bring back to a state of health, soundness, or vigor.
to put back to a former place, or to a former position, rank, etc..

to restore the king to his throne.

Synonyms:

reinstate, replace
to give back; make return or restitution of (anything taken away or lost).
to reproduce or reconstruct (an ancient building, extinct animal, etc.) in the original state.

Synonyms:

rebuild

restore British

/ rɪˈstɔː /

verb

to return (something, esp a work of art or building) to an original or former condition
to bring back to health, good spirits, etc
to return (something lost, stolen, etc) to its owner
to reintroduce or re-enforce

to restore discipline
to reconstruct (an extinct animal, former landscape, etc)

"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

Synonym Usage

See renew.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

Etymology

Origin of restore

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English restoren, from Old French restorer, from Latin restaurāre; see re-, store

Explanation

If you restore furniture for a living, you clean and repair it to bring it back to its original beauty. When you restore something, you are simply bringing it back to what it once was. You are not making it better, nor are you adding something that wasn't there. You can restore a damaged reputation, your health, or an old house, though the latter may be easiest of those three to accomplish. If the electricity goes out, you will have to sit in the dark until the power is restored.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing restore

"What, of This Goldfish, Would You Wish?" Vocabulary from the short story

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!

“Vaccine Controversy Shows Why We Need Markets, Not Mandates” by Ron Paul

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!

Chapter 20: Renaissance and Reformation

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.

The biodiversity of the beaver population will be strengthened with more animals being released, while the trust works with landowners to restore the creatures' habitat.

From BBC • Jul. 11, 2026

Through a series of experiments, the researchers found that DT-109 disrupted this chain of events, helping restore the health of both the gut and the liver.

From Science Daily • Jul. 11, 2026

We need to restore that belief, before the generation we indulged forgets it forever.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 9, 2026

Aang’s inherited mission, passed down to him by generations of previous divinities, is to restore and maintain the world’s elemental balance.

From Salon • Jul. 8, 2026

They’d had to restore defenses, civil life, industry, and at least the hope of trade.

From "Strange the Dreamer" by Laini Taylor

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