overhaul

verb

over·​haul ˌō-vər-ˈhȯl How to pronounce overhaul (audio)
overhauled; overhauling; overhauls

transitive verb

1
a
: to examine thoroughly
our systems of education are being constantly overhauledSaturday Rev.
b(1)
: repair
The mechanic overhauled the engine.
(2)
: to renovate, remake, revise, or renew thoroughly
Lawmakers are overhauling the welfare program.
2
: to haul or drag over
3
: overtake
The most imposing U.S. swimmer was overhauled by a 17-year-old Australian in the butterfly race.
overhaul noun

Examples of overhaul in a Sentence

The mechanic overhauled the car's engine. They had to overhaul their original plans. Lawmakers are overhauling the welfare program.
Recent Examples on the Web That was a senior-laden team, however, and the roster has been overhauled with six freshmen and four transfers. Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 Nov. 2023 Democrats have been focused on efforts that would speed up the approval of clean energy projects, while Republicans have been pushing for getting fossil fuel projects cleared faster by overhauling NEPA. Nancy Vu, Washington Examiner, 15 Nov. 2023 But if adding a single five-character code to Medicare's payment rules has proved challenging, imagine the heavy lift involved in overhauling the program's entire physician payment system. Michelle Andrews, CBS News, 15 Nov. 2023 Three two-bedroom cabins that were built during the 1940s have also been stylishly overhauled and updated with quasi-private yards. Jessica Ritz, Travel + Leisure, 14 Nov. 2023 With this grant, Phillips is all set to overhaul the Green Book Global mobile app and website to make the user experience more seamless. Joyce Philippe, ABC News, 5 Nov. 2023 For those who want to experiment with trends without completely overhauling their look, choosing a new lip combination is the perfect solution. Tira Urquhart, Essence, 1 Nov. 2023 Originally built in 1958 and designed by architecture firm Burge-Roach, the single-story residence was recently overhauled by ASOM HOME, a design team led by Marieke Ochtman and Annie Segal, the latter the daughter of legendary L.A. tastemaker Fred Segal. James McClain, Robb Report, 1 Nov. 2023 Numerous franchises are expected to overhaul their local media deals, returning games to free networks. Tania Ganguli, New York Times, 18 Oct. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'overhaul.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1705, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of overhaul was in 1705

Dictionary Entries Near overhaul

Cite this Entry

“Overhaul.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/overhaul. Accessed 30 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

overhaul

verb
over·​haul ˌō-vər-ˈhȯl How to pronounce overhaul (audio)
1
: to make a thorough examination of and make necessary repairs and adjustments on
overhaul an engine
2
overhaul noun

More from Merriam-Webster on overhaul

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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