rehabilitate

verb

re·​ha·​bil·​i·​tate ˌrē-ə-ˈbi-lə-ˌtāt  ˌrē-hə- 

rehabilitated; rehabilitating

transitive verb

1

a

: to restore to a former capacity : reinstate

b

: to restore to good repute : reestablish the good name of

2

a

: to restore to a former state (as of efficiency, good management, or solvency)

rehabilitate slum areas

b

: to restore or bring to a condition of health or useful and constructive activity

rehabilitative

ˌrē-ə-ˈbi-lə-ˌtā-tiv  ˌrē-hə- 

adjective

rehabilitator

ˌrē-ə-ˈbi-lə-ˌtā-tər  ˌrē-hə- 

noun

Synonyms

• habilitate
• reclaim
• redeem
• reform
• regenerate

Examples of rehabilitate in a Sentence

The clinic rehabilitates drug addicts.

He's still rehabilitating the knee he injured last summer.

They try to rehabilitate horses that have suffered injuries.

The program is intended to rehabilitate criminals.

The country has rehabilitated its image since the war.

The city plans to rehabilitate its slum areas.

Recent Examples on the Web

Our investigation found that a large number of the private agencies deliberately kept the children in their care and out of the adoption market, making little or no effort to rehabilitate their parents. —Stewart Ain, New York Daily News, 18 May 2025

State officials say this is the fourth young cub in the past five years that’s been brought in to be rehabilitated. —Karen Kucher, San Diego Union-Tribune, 17 May 2025

Another cousin, Tamara Lucera Goodell, testified Tuesday that the brothers have been rehabilitated. —Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2025

Furthermore, the state needs a more comprehensive offer of services to protect and rehabilitate children who escape or are recovered from armed groups. —Elizabeth Dickinson, Foreign Affairs, 8 May 2025

Word History

Etymology

Medieval Latin rehabilitatus, past participle of rehabilitare, from Latin re- + Late Latin habilitare to habilitate

First Known Use

circa 1581, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for rehabilitate

• borosilicate
• decontaminate
• deoxycholate
• deteriorate
• differentiate
• diisocyanate
• dinoflagellate
• excommunicate
• incapacitate
• insubordinate
• intercorporate
• interpenetrate

Kids Definition

rehabilitate

verb

re·​ha·​bil·​i·​tate ˌrē-(h)ə-ˈbil-ə-ˌtāt 

rehabilitated; rehabilitating

1

: to restore to a former status or reputation

2

a

: to restore to a state of efficiency, good management, or repair

rehabilitate slum areas

b

: to restore to a condition of health or useful and constructive activity

rehabilitate criminals

rehabilitation

-ˌbil-ə-ˈtā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

rehabilitate

transitive verb

re·​ha·​bil·​i·​tate ˌrē-(h)ə-ˈbil-ə-ˌtāt 

rehabilitated; rehabilitating

: to restore or bring to a condition of health or useful and constructive activity

rehabilitate patients with hip fractures

Legal Definition

rehabilitate

transitive verb

re·​ha·​bil·​i·​tate ˌrē-ə-ˈbi-lə-ˌtāt, ˌrē-hə- 

rehabilitated; rehabilitating

1

: to restore to a former capacity

specifically : to restore credibility to (a witness or testimony)

the State simply brought out all of the prior statements to qualify or explain the inconsistency and to rehabilitate the witness

—People v. Page, 550 N.E.2d 248 (1990)

compare impeach

Note: A witness whose trial testimony is inconsistent with his or her pretrial usually sworn statements is considered impeached. Such a witness may be rehabilitated usually on redirect examination. There are various state and federal evidentiary rules governing what evidence (as character evidence) is admissible to rehabilitate a witness.

2

a

: to restore to a former state (as of good repair or solvency)

if the debtor wishes to liquidate rather than reorganize or rehabilitate the farming operation

—J. H. Williamson

b

: to restore (as a convicted criminal defendant) to a useful and constructive place in society through therapy, job training, and other counseling

rehabilitation

-ˌbi-lə-ˈtā-shən 

noun