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Synonyms

restore

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

verb (used with object)

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

    to restore order.

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

    Synonyms:
    mend
  3. to bring back to a state of health, soundness, or vigor.

  4. to put back to a former place, or to a former position, rank, etc..

    to restore the king to his throne.

    Synonyms:
    reinstate, replace
  5. to give back; make return or restitution of (anything taken away or lost).

  6. to reproduce or reconstruct (an ancient building, extinct animal, etc.) in the original state.

    Synonyms:
    rebuild

restore British  
/ rɪˈstɔː /

verb

  1. to return (something, esp a work of art or building) to an original or former condition

  2. to bring back to health, good spirits, etc

  3. to return (something lost, stolen, etc) to its owner

  4. to reintroduce or re-enforce

    to restore discipline

  5. 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

Related Words

See renew.

Other Word Forms

  • quasi-restored adjective
  • restorable adjective
  • restorableness noun
  • restorer noun
  • self-restoring adjective
  • unrestorable adjective
  • unrestored adjective
  • well-restored adjective

Etymology

Origin of restore

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

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 study estimates that restoring education across Palestine could cost about US$1.38 billion.

From Science Daily

Doctors say they have achieved the previously impossible - restoring sight and preventing blindness in people with a rare but dangerous eye conditon called hypotony.

From BBC

Tens of thousands of homes in the south-east of England are still without water, with many told supplies will not be restored until at least Tuesday.

From BBC

The team refers to this recurring pattern as a "diversity-reset cycle," where evolution restores ecosystems by converging on the same functional designs.

From Science Daily

The methylglycosides are also resistant to beetle enzymes that would normally break them down and restore their toxicity through hydrolysis.

From Science Daily