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

By the late eighteen-sixties, landowners had settled on sharecropping—a system that kept agricultural workers, many of them former slaves, in perpetual debt—to rebuild their economic dominance after the Civil War. —Boyce Upholt, New Yorker, 14 Mar. 2026

Adapted from Robyn Carr's novel series, Virgin River premiered in 2019 on Netflix, and follows the life of Mel (Alexandra Breckenridge), who travels to the secluded California hamlet to rebuild her life after the death of her husband. —Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 13 Mar. 2026

Fancher, Jackson, Brown and Belfort all exited through the transfer portal in the offseason, giving Frost and his coaching staff a chance to rebuild the unit. —Matt Murschel, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 Mar. 2026

Since the 2024 ceasefire, Israel has conducted near-daily strikes against Hezbollah personnel and infrastructure throughout southern Lebanon, accusing them of attempting to rearm and rebuild. —Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 13 Mar. 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