restore
Americanverb (used with object)
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to bring back into existence, use, or the like; reestablish.
to restore order.
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to bring back to a former, original, or normal condition, as a building, statue, or painting.
- Synonyms:
- mend
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to bring back to a state of health, soundness, or vigor.
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to put back to a former place, or to a former position, rank, etc..
to restore the king to his throne.
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to give back; make return or restitution of (anything taken away or lost).
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to reproduce or reconstruct (an ancient building, extinct animal, etc.) in the original state.
- Synonyms:
- rebuild
verb
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to return (something, esp a work of art or building) to an original or former condition
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to bring back to health, good spirits, etc
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to return (something lost, stolen, etc) to its owner
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to reintroduce or re-enforce
to restore discipline
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to reconstruct (an extinct animal, former landscape, etc)
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.
Efforts to restore the beloved building, declared a historic monument soon after it was shuttered, have proved elusive.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
On Thursday, the British-led virtual meeting of dozens of nations will "assess all viable diplomatic and political measures that we can take to restore freedom of navigation" in the strait, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said.
From Barron's • Apr. 2, 2026
He wrote it would take "a lot of strength, passion, and conviction" to restore his country "back where it deserves to be".
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
Additionally, China and Pakistan proposed a five-point plan to end the hostilities and restore traffic through the strait, a crucial waterway for about 20% of the world’s crude oil.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026
He always does when hired to restore any house of worship.
From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers
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.
