restore

[ ri-stawr, -stohr ]

See synonyms for: restore restored restoring on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),re·stored, re·stor·ing.

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.

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.
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.

Origin of restore

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

synonym study For restore

2. See renew.

Other words for restore

2	mend
4	replace, reinstate
6	rebuild

See synonyms for restore on Thesaurus.com

Other words from restore

re·stor·a·ble, adjective
re·stor·a·ble·ness, noun
re·stor·er, noun
qua·si-re·stored, adjective
self-re·stor·ing, adjective
un·re·stor·a·ble, adjective
un·re·stored, adjective
well-re·stored, adjective

Words Nearby restore

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use restore in a sentence

Prime Hook is just one example of a restored coastal wetland.
Soggy coastal soils? Here’s why ecologists love them | Alison Pearce Stevens | September 17, 2020 | Science News For Students
For Nicholas Howley alone, that recovery restored hundreds of millions of dollars to his fortune.
The Big Corporate Rescue and the America That’s Too Small to Save | by Lydia DePillis, Justin Elliott and Paul Kiel | September 12, 2020 | ProPublica
The hope was, and still is, that a mass vaccination campaign can restore the world to normal.
A third of Americans might refuse a Covid-19 vaccine. How screwed are we? | Brian Resnick | September 4, 2020 | Vox
The purpose of the system is to drive us toward behaviors aimed at maintaining or restoring our natural state of balance.
Why do you feel lonely? Neuroscience is starting to find answers. | Amy Nordrum | September 4, 2020 | MIT Technology Review
A few weeks ago, we learned about the Twisted NAS-E, a restored and modified Land Rover Defender that now runs on electrons instead of gasoline or diesel.
Now you can get a Land Rover restomod with a Tesla electric powertrain | Jonathan M. Gitlin | September 3, 2020 | Ars Technica

Faal told the FBI that his group was trying “restore democracy to The Gambia and improve the lives of its people.”
The Shadowy U.S. Veteran Who Tried to Overthrow a Country | Jacob Siegel | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
The charismatic bearded revolucionario dressed in a dark olive uniform promised to restore order and hold elections.
Cuba Is A Kleptocracy, Not Communist | Romina Ruiz-Goiriena | December 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
This would restore overtime rights to workers earning up to around $50,000 a year, which is roughly the current median.
It’s Always Black Friday for Clerks | Michael Tomasky | November 28, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
The Onna church is expected to take up to 12 years to restore.
Madonna, Carla Bruni & Obama Abandoned Pledges To Rebuild L'Aquila After The Quake | Barbie Latza Nadeau | November 18, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
Much of the money meant to restore the center and rebuild the houses has gone instead to relocate the residents.
Madonna, Carla Bruni & Obama Abandoned Pledges To Rebuild L'Aquila After The Quake | Barbie Latza Nadeau | November 18, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
But one thing remained for Felipe now, If Ramona lived, he would find her, and restore to her this her rightful property.
Ramona | Helen Hunt Jackson
Insult and outrage seemed to have given that bodily vigour to Ripperda, which medicine and surgery had taken no pains to restore.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 | Jane Porter
And he wished also to restore her to her natural setting, with the greatest degree of historic accuracy.
Bastien Lepage | Fr. Crastre
This was "assault" in truth, and oddly enough seemed to restore the victim to perfect coolness.
Dorothy at Skyrie | Evelyn Raymond
The new general had orders to arrest certain officers and restore discipline.
Napoleon's Marshals | R. P. Dunn-Pattison

British Dictionary definitions for restore

restore

/ (rɪˈstɔː) /

verb(tr)

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)

Origin of restore

C13: from Old French, from Latin rēstaurāre to rebuild, from re- + -staurāre, as in instaurāre to renew

Derived forms of restore

restorable, adjective
restorableness, noun
restorer, noun

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

Browse