restructure

American  

[ree-struhk-cher] / riˈstrʌk tʃər /

verb (used with object)

• restructures,
  present (3rd person singular)
• restructured,
  past participle,  past
• restructuring
  present participle

1. to change, alter, or restore the structure of.

   to restructure a broken nose.

2. to effect a fundamental change in (as an organization or system).

3. to recombine (bits of inexpensive meats), especially by mechanical means, into simulated steaks, fillets, etc.

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verb (used without object)

• restructures,
  present (3rd person singular)
• restructured,
  past participle,  past
• restructuring
  present participle

1. to restructure something.

noun

1. the act or an instance of restructuring.

restructure British  

/ riːˈstrʌktʃə /

verb

1. (tr) to organize (a system, business, society, etc) in a different way

   radical attempts to restructure the economy

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• restructurer
  noun
• restructuring
  noun

Inflected Forms

Participles

• restructuring
  present
• restructured
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• restructure
  simple
• restructures
  simple
• have restructured
  perfect
• has restructured
  perfect
• am restructuring
  progressive
• are restructuring
  progressive
• is restructuring
  progressive
• have been restructuring
  perfect progressive
• has been restructuring
  perfect progressive

Past

• restructured
  simple
• had restructured
  perfect
• was restructuring
  progressive
• were restructuring
  progressive
• had been restructuring
  perfect progressive

Future

• will restructure
  simple
• will have restructured
  perfect
• will be restructuring
  progressive
• will have been restructuring
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of restructure

First recorded in 1940–45; re- + structure

Explanation

When you restructure something, you organize it in a different way so it’ll work better, like a practice schedule a coach restructures to get in more morning sessions before a big game. The verb restructure often refers to a company that is changing the way it operates in order to be more efficient. In many cases, this means laying off employees, closing locations, or working with creditors to change the speed at which debt is repaid. The goal of this kind of restructuring is for the company to stay in business through a rough time in its history.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

restructure restructures restructured restructuring

In yet another universe, we would restructure corporations to have more than one bottom line beyond their shareholders.

From Salon ● Aug. 19, 2026

In an internal memo, the media giant said the cuts were meant to restructure its radio programming to better “leverage” the company’s technology.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 3, 2026

In July, it initiated what executives called "the most significant restructure in Xbox history" with approximately 3,200 reductions across its workforce.

From BBC ● Aug. 3, 2026

The company, which has in the past made 98% of its $12 billion in annual revenue from government-related work, said in October it would restructure its business to cut $150 million in costs.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026

Hoover wanted the new investigation to be a showcase for his bureau, which he had continued to restructure.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

That timeline will almost certainly be pushed back as the company restructures.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 4, 2026

Professor Lockerby's work restructures Cunningham's original idea into a broader and more flexible form.

From Science Daily ● Feb. 8, 2026

It also seeks information on a clause in the Netflix deal that would allow for a reduction in purchase price if Warner restructures its debt, asking how it might work.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 12, 2026

When Argentina restructures, and current reserve burn rates suggest this will happen early in 2026, those holdings get written down.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 25, 2025

Denmark's Novo Nordisk said Tuesday it would replace more than half of its board, including the chair, as the Ozempic and Wegovy maker restructures in the face of rising competition for its anti-obesity treatments.

From Barron's ● Oct. 21, 2025

After a 2020 outbreak of COVID-19, the shelter restructured its bed plan and currently houses up to 800 people nightly.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

It funded an overhaul of elite academies and restructured the system.

From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026

"Even when I started you could see, and you'd always read about it in the news, that this or that part of the business was being restructured," he said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 12, 2026

SpaceX in recent months has restructured itself around the desire to build out its artificial-intelligence capabilities.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026

Big Creek was to be restructured, he said, beginning with the junior class.

From "October Sky" by Homer Hickam

Layoffs, repeated restructuring and high staff turnover have destabilised companies across the industry.

From BBC ● Aug. 21, 2026

“Sponsors have seen that everyone has done this and there hasn’t been a penalty,” said Robert Miller, a University of South Dakota Knudson School of Law professor who specializes in corporate restructuring.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

“While these changes have contributed to the need for restructuring, they reflect broader market dynamics affecting the entire wine sector.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026

Hichilema's administration has since secured a landmark debt restructuring deal, restored an International Monetary Fund programme and returned the economy to a growth path, winning praise from international lenders and investors.

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

Word went out to the branches to begin to prepare for this covert restructuring.

From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela

Related Words

• reconstruct
• reshuffle
• revamp