rebuild

Definition of rebuildnext

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb rebuild contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of rebuild are mend, patch, and repair. While all these words mean "to put into good order something that is injured, damaged, or defective," rebuild suggests making like new without completely replacing.

a rebuilt automobile engine

When would mend be a good substitute for rebuild?

The synonyms mend and rebuild are sometimes interchangeable, but mend implies making whole or sound something broken, torn, or injured.

mended the torn dress

Where would patch be a reasonable alternative to rebuild?

The meanings of patch and rebuild largely overlap; however, patch implies an often temporary fixing of a hole or break with new material.

patch worn jeans

When could repair be used to replace rebuild?

In some situations, the words repair and rebuild are roughly equivalent. However, repair applies to the fixing of more extensive damage or dilapidation.

repaired the back steps

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 rebuild This doesn't mean large organizations need to tear themselves down and rebuild overnight. Keith Ferrazzi, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026 Electrons pinball across membranes and between compounds to drive molecular turbines that rebuild air and water into sugars to provide the energy and raw materials that cells need to grow. Quanta Magazine, 10 June 2026 That could help rebuild trust, said Alexa Friedman, an environmental epidemiologist at the Environmental Working Group, a nonprofit that researches the ingredients in consumer products. Kff Health News, Oc Register, 10 June 2026 Schwartz explained to me that this time around, the understructure of the bridge was rebuilt but (owing to the Landmarks designation) had to maintain its late-19th-century appearance. Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for rebuild
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rebuild
Verb
  • When reconstructing the Inquisition trial of a sixteenth-century northern Italian miller, historian Carlo Ginzburg encountered a line that would eventually inspire the title of his paradigm-shifting study The Cheese and the Worms.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026
  • The lost information was reconstructed by Gaudí’s collaborators which then helped later generations of architects.
    Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 10 June 2026
Verb
  • Biologist Cristhian Mace, with the LA County Parks and Recreation, is working with her team to rehabilitate and monitor the Eaton Canyon Natural Area as its ecosystem recovers from wildfire destruction.
    Joy Benedict, CBS News, 4 June 2026
  • Kittle, near his ideal playing weight, has rehabilitated on a side field throughout organized team activities.
    Cam Inman, Mercury News, 4 June 2026
Verb
  • The booster station is currently operating on backup generator power until power is restored.
    Garrett Behanna, CBS News, 7 June 2026
  • With three types of hyaluronic acid, ectoin, and the brand’s signature thermal spring water, the moisturizer restores hydration, repairs a weak skin barrier, and plumps sagging skin.
    Essence Wiley, InStyle, 7 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Rebuild.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rebuild. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on rebuild

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

More from Merriam-Webster