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

Arbab, the pregnant 19-year-old who fled with her baby boy, had hoped to rebuild her life in Egypt, her friends and a humanitarian worker said, speaking on condition of anonymity to talk about the young mother. —ABC News, 27 Feb. 2026

The multi-year I-696 Restore the Reuther project calls for rebuilding the ramp base, drainage and pavement work along with bridge improvements, at the I-696 / I-75 interchange. —Paula Wethington, CBS News, 27 Feb. 2026

Whether Washington rebuilds a coherent, credible Africa strategy — one grounded in trade certainty, institutional capacity, and mutual respect — will determine whether Jackson’s vision endures or becomes a relic of a different political age. —Alexanderia Baker-Haidara, semafor.com, 27 Feb. 2026

The key now is to rebuild the city’s property base. —Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 27 Feb. 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