restore
Americanverb (used with object)
-
restores,
present (3rd person singular)
-
restored,
past participle, past
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restoring
present participle
-
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.
-
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
verb
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to return (something, esp a work of art or building) to an original or former condition
-
to bring back to health, good spirits, etc
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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)
Synonym Usage
See renew.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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restorablenessnoun
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restorernoun
-
quasi-restoredadjective
-
restorableadjective
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self-restoringadjective
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unrestorableadjective
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unrestoredadjective
-
well-restoredadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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restoresimple
-
restoressimple
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have restoredperfect
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has restoredperfect
-
am restoringprogressive
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are restoringprogressive
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is restoringprogressive
-
have been restoringperfect progressive
-
has been restoringperfect progressive
Past
-
restoredsimple
-
had restoredperfect
-
was restoringprogressive
-
were restoringprogressive
-
had been restoringperfect progressive
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.
Vocabulary lists containing restore
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“Vaccine Controversy Shows Why We Need Markets, Not Mandates” by Ron Paul
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Chapter 20: Renaissance and Reformation
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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.
See Examples For:
Music, family photos and/or a family pet can help restore peace, but it’s not always so simple or straightforward.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 30, 2026
Instead, it allows agencies the option of negotiated deals in which they commit to ensuring certain river flows for the environment and contribute funds for projects that restore habitat for fish in the Delta.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
Meanwhile, Oman said discussions with Iran had produced an outline for a temporary arrangement to restore free navigation through the Strait of Hormuz, although political obstacles remain.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 27, 2026
Electricity North West said it was working to restore power supplies to about 4,500 homes, with the worst affected parts of Cumbria including Allerdale, Copeland and South Lakeland.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
Once a shoe had a good base, it was a simple matter to restore its brilliance when the shine faded.
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
Scientists have uncovered a biological mechanism that helps explain how exercise protects aging muscles and restores their ability to repair themselves.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026
Federal Court in Washington, D.C. asking for a temporary restraining order that restores their access immediately while the case is heard.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 21, 2026
Working alongside a largely forgotten network of women, she arranged training, negotiated visa rules, raised funds and corresponded with colleagues in Berlin and Jerusalem—the practical education in politics that Mr. Meyer restores to view.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 7, 2026
"Nature restores and reestablishes itself very quickly," she said, noting that whilst the freshly-broken ground looks harsh, it will soon "become more natural."
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
By the time Celia restores a tenuous calm, she has come to a decision.
From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García
The speed limit paralyzed some drone operations for 10 days, until SpaceX restored the service on Oct.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2026
Nearby, the 1930s modernist villa of Hungarian opera singer Rózsi Walter was restored and reopened in 2022 as an architecture museum, with an emphasis on the legacy of Hungarian-American architect and designer Marcel Breuer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026
The two-disc set also includes a restored “Freaks.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 28, 2026
Almost 100,000 homes had power restored in both areas across the weekend.
From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2026
Then, rejoicing in their good fortune, believing the war ended and Athena’s favor restored to them, they went to their houses in peace as they had not for ten years.
From "Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes" by Edith Hamilton
Agencies have pledged $2.9 billion under the program, and much of the funds will go toward restoring aquatic habitat for fish, officials said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 30, 2026
Under this accord, nations set 23 global targets for 2030 including protecting 30 percent of land and oceans, tackling pollution and invasive species, and restoring degraded ecosystems.
From Barron's ● Oct. 30, 2026
The findings suggest that future therapies might work by restoring cardiolipin levels or by influencing the protective adaptations controlled by ERRγ.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 28, 2026
Persuading the persuadable is; so is restoring dignity and accountability to the office of the presidency.
From Slate ● Oct. 27, 2026
“Oh yes, the restoring booster. I suppose I did promise.”
From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer
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