restore

verb

re·​store ri-ˈstȯr 

restored; restoring

transitive verb

1

: give back, return

2

: to put or bring back into existence or use

3

: to bring back to or put back into a former or original state : renew

4

: to put again in possession of something

restorer noun

Synonyms

• freshen
• recharge
• recreate
• refresh
• refreshen
• regenerate
• rejuvenate
• renew
• repair
• resuscitate
• revitalize
• revive
• revivify

Choose the Right Synonym for restore

renew, restore, refresh, renovate, rejuvenate mean to make like new.

renew implies a restoration of what had become faded or disintegrated so that it seems like new.

efforts to renew the splendor of the old castle

restore implies a return to an original state after depletion or loss.

restored a fine piece of furniture

refresh implies the supplying of something necessary to restore lost strength, animation, or power.

a refreshing drink

renovate suggests a renewing by cleansing, repairing, or rebuilding.

the apartment has been entirely renovated

rejuvenate suggests the restoration of youthful vigor, powers, or appearance.

the change in jobs rejuvenated her spirits

Examples of restore in a Sentence

The police restored law and order.

The government needs to restore confidence in the economy.

an antique car that is being carefully restored

Recent Examples on the Web

In Utrecht, in the Netherlands, a 12-lane motorway was replaced with canals and green space, restoring the original waterways that had been paved over years ago for roads. —Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2023

After first encountering the property in 1993, Luisa Beccaria has been restoring her 18th-century home in the southeast of Sicily—nestled between the Hyblaean Mountains and the sea—for over three decades. —Kristen Bateman, Vogue, 22 Sep. 2023

But after litigation under the Clean Water Act resulted in a 2005 consent decree to improve conditions, a number of engineering projects such as the Anacostia River tunnel allowed for tremendous progress in restoring the river, Sherard said. —Meagan Flynn, Washington Post, 22 Sep. 2023

The potent blend of peptides and biotin fortifies our arches, helping restore brows to their pre-tweezer glory. —Liana Schaffner, Allure, 21 Sep. 2023

An 18-year-old Snow, desperate to restore his family's name, is tasked with mentoring Lucy Gray in the 10th annual Hunger Games. —Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 20 Sep. 2023

Then once the loss to gene pools has been identified, Colossal will use the sequences as targets to restore the gene diversity into cell lines that’ll be used to create embryos. —Arcelia Martin, Dallas News, 19 Sep. 2023

The painting is currently in the hands of the Van Gogh Museum, whose experts will help restore it. —Robert Higgs, cleveland, 12 Sep. 2023

Perry left the band in 1979, followed by Whitford the next year, but the band restored the original lineup in 1984. —Emily Krauser, Peoplemag, 12 Sep. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Anglo-French restorer, from Latin restaurare to renew, rebuild, alteration of instaurare to renew

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

restore

verb

re·​store ri-ˈstō(ə)r 

-ˈstȯ(ə)r

restored; restoring

1

: return entry 1 sense 5

restored the purse to its owner

2

: to put or bring back into existence or use

restore harmony after an argument

3

: to bring back to or put back into an earlier or original state

restore an old house

4

: to put again in possession of something

restore the king to the throne

restorable

-ˈstōr-ə-bəl

-ˈstȯr-

adjective

restorer noun

Medical Definition

restore

transitive verb

re·​store ri-ˈstō(ə)r, -ˈstȯ(ə)r 

restored; restoring

: to bring back to or put back into a former or original state

a tooth restored with an inlay