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 of rehabilitation

• recovery
• rehab

Examples of rehabilitation in a Sentence

his rehabilitation from the flu was brief, and he was up and working again within a few days

Recent Examples on the Web

Although injury recovery is challenging, many young athletes develop greater resilience, patience, emotional awareness and body awareness through rehabilitation. —Ian McMahan, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026

Epic calls itself a family of rehabilitation and long-term care facilities. —Cindy Krischer Goodman, Sun Sentinel, 21 Mar. 2026

Already the conflict has seen hundreds killed, with a blast at a drug rehabilitation center in Kabul on March 16, 2026, killing more than 400 people, according to Afghanistan’s Taliban government. —Rabia Akhtar, The Conversation, 20 Mar. 2026

The rehabilitation will preserve the historic Spanish Colonial Revival pool house’s exterior while adding modern amenities, including a gender-neutral bathhouse facility and improved accessibility. —Los Angeles Times, 20 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rehabilitation

• physical medicine and rehabilitation

Rhymes for rehabilitation

• acclimatisation
• acclimatization
• acidification
• actualization
• annualization
• autocorrelation
• autoregulation
• beatification
• beneficiation
• biodegradation
• biotransformation
• bureaucratization

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