rehabilitation

noun

re·​ha·​bil·​i·​ta·​tion ˌrē-ə-ˌbi-lə-ˈtā-shən 

ˌrē-hə-

plural rehabilitations

: the action, process, or result of rehabilitating or of being rehabilitated: such as

a

: restoration especially by therapeutic means to an improved condition of physical function

MCL injuries alone rarely necessitate surgery and heal with rest and rehabilitation.

—Shira Springer

The handsome barn-style building is used as a wildlife rehabilitation center, so you'll see mending hawks, eagles, or owls perching.

—Lora J. Finnegan

also : the process of restoring a person to a drug- or alcohol-free state

… the tabloid feeding frenzy surrounding his drug bust and ensuing rehabilitation for heroin addiction last year.

—Joyce Millman

b

: the process of restoring someone (such as a criminal) to a useful and constructive place in society

the rehabilitation of prisoners

a prison rehabilitation program

c

: the restoration of something damaged or deteriorated to a prior good condition

the rehabilitation of the neighborhood

the rehabilitation of a person's reputation

Synonyms

• comeback
• convalescence
• healing
• mending
• rally
• recovery
• recuperation
• rehab
• snapback

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

May 15, 2023 The TV personality will undergo physical rehabilitation three days a week and that will likely continue for a few months. —Nardine Saad, Los Angeles Times, 15 May 2023

Sure enough, Ward was having a stroke, and ultimately required a year of rehabilitation to regain speech and mobility. —Nick Blackmer, Verywell Health, 3 May 2023

Though Mobley said the trauma of any imprisonment is severe, people incarcerated in federal prisons rather than state prisons typically experience better conditions with more opportunities for rehabilitation. —Alex Riggins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 May 2023

Alaska SeaLife Center, a public aquarium and the state’s only permanent marine mammal rehabilitation facility, is another popular attraction. —Patricia Doherty, Travel + Leisure, 17 Apr. 2023

Susan Hillier is a professor of neuroscience and rehabilitation at the University of South Australia. —Ashleigh E. Smith, CNN, 16 Apr. 2023

This is a piece about the nature of parole hearings and who gets to determine the threshold for rehabilitation. —Vulture, 6 Apr. 2023

Coach Darvin Ham said James' rehabilitation sessions are going well. —Greg Beacham, ajc, 18 Mar. 2023

Much more than a gimmick, Oldenburg’s prison screenings are integrated into the facility’s rehabilitation programs. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 May 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rehabilitation

• physical medicine and rehabilitation

• physical medicine and rehabilitation

Medical Definition

rehabilitation

noun

re·​ha·​bil·​i·​ta·​tion ˌrē-(h)ə-ˌbil-ə-ˈtā-shən 

often attributive

1

: the action or process of rehabilitating or of being rehabilitated: as

a

: the physical restoration of a sick or disabled person by therapeutic measures and reeducation to participation in the activities of a normal life within the limitations of the person's physical disability

rehabilitation after coronary occlusion

b

: the process of restoring an individual to a useful and constructive place in society especially through some form of vocational, correctional, or therapeutic retraining

2

: the result of rehabilitating : the state of being rehabilitated

rehabilitation of the patient