reconstruct

verb

re·​con·​struct ˌrē-kən-ˈstrəkt How to pronounce reconstruct (audio)
reconstructed; reconstructing; reconstructs

transitive verb

1
: to construct again: such as
a
: to build or assemble (something) again
reconstruct a damaged chimney
b
medical : to subject (an organ or part) to surgery to re-form its structure or correct a defect
an athlete with a surgically reconstructed shoulder
2
a
: to re-create or reimagine (something from the past) especially by using information acquired through research
reconstructing a lost civilization
The solution is to reconstruct the vocabularies of vanished ancient languages (so-called protolanguages) by comparing vocabularies of modern languages derived from them.Jared Diamond
b
: to create an accurate reenactment or understanding of (a past occurrence or event, such as an accident) by applying scientific principles and techniques to physical evidence
McDaniel hired the firm to reconstruct a fiery collision in Limestone County several years ago in which two young women were killed when their car was engulfed in flames.John Peck
reconstructible adjective
reconstructive adjective
reconstructor noun

Examples of reconstruct in a Sentence

After the earthquake, many houses needed to be reconstructed. Archaeologists were able to reconstruct most of the ancient village from their findings. They are attempting to reconstruct the events that led to the bridge's collapse.
Recent Examples on the Web The project proposes to reconstruct the bridge to address these concerns. Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 17 Mar. 2024 The discovery suggests researchers might be able to reconstruct the Neanderthal genome from studying living humans, rather than having to extract DNA from ancient remains, writes New Scientist. Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 13 Mar. 2024 In 1836, a fire destroyed at least seven thousand models, but, rather than abandon the requirement, the Patent Office doubled down, securing congressional funding to reconstruct the models and laying the foundations for a truly monumental building, with a façade modelled after the Parthenon. Nicola Twilley, The New Yorker, 12 Mar. 2024 Again, the emphasis was on historical accuracy, but the efforts to reconstruct a sartorial tradition that has been woefully underrepresented and overlooked were fascinating. Liam Hess, Vogue, 8 Mar. 2024 Built in 1929 and reconstructed in 1958, the bridge spans the Ohio River, connecting downtown Louisville with Jeffersonville, Indiana. 'Tremendously lucky':Woman rescued from truck hanging from Clark Memorial Bridge When will the Second Street Bridge reopen? Matthew Glowicki, The Courier-Journal, 2 Mar. 2024 This data, which can take the place of scientific instruments, helped the group reconstruct temperature changes in the Caribbean waters for 300 years. Karl Schneider, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Feb. 2024 Since Hallie’s umbilical cord was attached to the omphalocele, Fisher had to surgically reconstruct her belly button. Wendy Grossman Kantor, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 One of those challenges is the college football postseason — specifically, reconstructing the CFP to suit the needs of two conferences that have added a slew of brand names in recent years. Jon Wilner, The Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'reconstruct.' 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

1762, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of reconstruct was in 1762

Dictionary Entries Near reconstruct

Cite this Entry

“Reconstruct.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reconstruct. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

reconstruct

verb
re·​con·​struct ˌrē-kən-ˈstrəkt How to pronounce reconstruct (audio)
: to construct again : rebuild, remodel

Medical Definition

reconstruct

transitive verb
re·​con·​struct ˌrē-kən-ˈstrəkt How to pronounce reconstruct (audio)
: to subject (an organ or part) to surgery so as to re-form the structure of or to correct a defect
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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