rebuild

verb

re·​build (ˌ)rē-ˈbild 

rebuilt (ˌ)rē-ˈbilt  ; rebuilding

transitive verb

1

a

: to make extensive repairs to : reconstruct

rebuild a war-torn city

b

: to restore to a previous state

rebuild inventories

2

: to make extensive changes in : remodel

rebuild society

intransitive verb

: to build again

planned to rebuild after the fire

Choose the Right Synonym for rebuild

mend, repair, patch, rebuild mean to put into good order something that is injured, damaged, or defective.

mend implies making whole or sound something broken, torn, or injured.

mended the torn dress

repair applies to the fixing of more extensive damage or dilapidation.

repaired the back steps

patch implies an often temporary fixing of a hole or break with new material.

patch worn jeans

rebuild suggests making like new without completely replacing.

a rebuilt automobile engine

Examples of rebuild in a Sentence

He rebuilt his house after it was destroyed by a fire.

They tried to rebuild after the earthquake.

The new owner plans to rebuild the franchise.

The team is rebuilding after losing most of its top players.

Recent Examples on the Web

According to the company, conversations with community leaders and educators identified rebuilding community spaces and expanding educational opportunities as key priorities after the fires. — Ryma Chikhoune, Footwear News, 9 July 2026

Staffers felt whiplashed as Wang and Zuckerberg rebuilt the company’s AI team from the ground up. — Ben Weiss, Fortune, 9 July 2026

Fortunately for Ram, the company was still building some Hemis to supply its heavy-duty truck line, so bringing production back online was more a matter of scaling back up than rebuilding the whole thing from scratch. — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 9 July 2026

By evening, steady gestures can replace drama, and simple follow-through helps rebuild trust. — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 9 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1537, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for rebuild

• backfilled
• distilled
• fulfilled
• infilled
• instilled
• refilled
• unfilled
• unskilled
• untilled
• billed
• build
• chilled

Kids Definition

rebuild

verb

re·​build (ˈ)rē-ˈbild 

rebuilt -ˈbilt  ; rebuilding

1

: to make important repairs to or changes in

rebuild an old house

2

: to build again

planned to rebuild after the fire