repair 1 of 2

as in condition
a state of being or fitness the dining table is in good repair, so you won't need to refinish it

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

repair

2 of 2

verb

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb repair contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of repair are mend, patch, and rebuild. While all these words mean "to put into good order something that is injured, damaged, or defective," repair applies to the fixing of more extensive damage or dilapidation.

repaired the back steps

When is mend a more appropriate choice than repair?

In some situations, the words mend and repair are roughly equivalent. However, mend implies making whole or sound something broken, torn, or injured.

mended the torn dress

When is it sensible to use patch instead of repair?

While the synonyms patch and repair are close in meaning, patch implies an often temporary fixing of a hole or break with new material.

patch worn jeans

Where would rebuild be a reasonable alternative to repair?

The words rebuild and repair are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, rebuild suggests making like new without completely replacing.

a rebuilt automobile engine

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of repair
Noun
Meyer will undergo left hip labral repair surgery on Friday in Nashville. Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 25 June 2025 Fort Worth will become one of only six sites for maintenance, repairs and overhauls of the LEAP family of engines used by Airbus A320neo and Boeing 737 MAX commercial aircraft. Kate Marijolovic, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 June 2025
Verb
Space station air leak delays Axiom 4 crewed launch The launch of the Axiom mission had already been delayed to allow SpaceX to repair a liquid oxygen leak found on the Falcon 9 rocket, NASA has said. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 June 2025 But building guitars from scratch, improving/enhancing existing instruments and repairing/restoring them for customers is their bread and butter. Mike Danahey, Chicago Tribune, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for repair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repair
Noun
  • The woman was listed in stable condition at an area hospital, according to police.
    Michelle Deal-Zimmerman, Baltimore Sun, 19 June 2025
  • What Causes Cockroaches? A cockroach in the home isn't always a sign of unsanitary conditions.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • The bill is aimed at addressing America's spiraling federal deficit and restoring faith in the government's ability to meet its obligations, especially in areas like Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 28 June 2025
  • The supplementation of vitamin B12 and iron helps restore the most common deficiencies in AG.
    Sayaka Blickenderfer, Health, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • The company also launched a new secure network architecture called Cisco Live Protect, which is meant to shield your network from an exploit within minutes to give your IT security team time to fix the underlying issue.
    Patrick Moorhead, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • The two main causes are fairly simple — individual error and system stagnation — but figuring out how to fix them is far more complicated.
    Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 19 June 2025
Noun
  • The British Royal family health issues have been a major discussion point for what feels like the last year or so.
    Lissete Lanuza Sáenz, StyleCaster, 28 June 2025
  • The startup, now known as Hims & Hers Health Inc., then expanded into women’s health, went public in 2021 and grew its workforce to more than 1,600 workers.
    Queenie Wong, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • Paul George, Roy Hibbert and David West revived the team in the 2010s, only to twice run into LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and the Miami Heat.
    Zak Keefer, New York Times, 20 June 2025
  • Lake has revived claims that the agency has operated with such poor security that its networks are rife for espionage by foreign powers, assertions made by Trump's appointee to lead it in 2020, toward the end of his first term.
    David Folkenflik, NPR, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • This means anyone can assemble, rebuild, and understand how these robots work.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 June 2025
  • The Wolves could, presumably, also offer the Suns an attractive trade package for a team that does not want to tear down and rebuild.
    Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 17 June 2025
Noun
  • My curls stayed especially bouncy and held their shape all day, even while running around in humid weather.
    Malia Griggs, Glamour, 23 June 2025
  • On Instagram, Protect the Mütter declared victory and posted an image of two skeletal hands, their bony fingers pressed together to make a heart shape.
    Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 23 June 2025
Verb
  • Even one or two minutes of the right music can refresh your brain and break the mental fatigue.
    Bronwen Sciortino, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025
  • These Spanx deals won’t last long, so now’s the time to refresh your summer wardrobe with flattering, lightweight staples.
    Taylor Jean Stephan, People.com, 22 June 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Repair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repair. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on repair

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!