repair 1 of 2

Definition of repairnext
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

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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
Depending on how long the repairs take, Hagler expects to reopen Kuumba on Saturday for regular hours. Everett Eaton, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026 It was recommended for repairs. Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado january 30, Sacbee.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
Darvish underwent surgery in October to repair a torn UCL and flexor tendon in his right elbow. Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2026 Shane Geary, 54, was riding his motorcycle that morning because his truck was being repaired, his wife, Mindy, wrote. Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for repair
Recent Examples of Synonyms for repair
Noun
  • This is like ignoring weather conditions when flying an airplane.
    Steve Forbes, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Most areas in North Texas were covered in ice, sleet and snow, creating hazardous conditions.
    Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Power has since been restored, but some services are still limited.
    Ashley Portillo, CBS News, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The projects included restoring two bread ovens at a bakery destroyed by Russian warfare, and purchasing a delivery van so that bread could reach more people.
    Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The previous schedule was fixed.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • The chandelier fixed squarely in the vaulted ceiling and the elegant milk glass lamps that lined the hallway cast their soft gazes downward.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Anyone who is experiencing negative health effects of cannabis should see a medical professional for help.
    Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The bill would set enforceable health and safety standards, mandating independent inspections and requiring transparency in reporting habitability issues such as water damage, humidity and mold.
    JAMES HERRERA MONTEREY HERALD, Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Barnes & Noble will open four new bookstores in the Chicago area by summertime, including a flagship location downtown on State Street, part of a national move to revive its brick-and-mortar retail presence.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2026
  • An effort to set that up stalled in the California legislature last year, but there's a growing pressure to revive something like it.
    Kirk Siegler, NPR, 7 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The return of his body closed a painful chapter for the country and cleared the way for the next and more challenging phase of the ceasefire, which calls for deploying an international security force, disarming Hamas, pulling back Israeli soldiers and rebuilding Gaza.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The return of his body closed a painful chapter for the country and cleared the way for the next and more challenging phase of the ceasefire, which calls for deploying an international security force, disarming Hamas, pulling back Israeli soldiers and rebuilding Gaza.
    Wafaa Shurafa, Los Angeles Times, 29 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Dave Parker, a spokesman for the Arkansas Department of Transportation, said interstates and highways were in pretty good shape overall considering the amount of sleet and snow.
    Bill Bowden, Arkansas Online, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Successful wellness strategies come in all shapes and sizes.
    Serenity Gibbons, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Some users said their For You pages refreshed endlessly.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 26 Jan. 2026
  • The Kia Telluride and Hyundai Palisade have been refreshed for 2026 and have in my mind added more refinement.
    John Paul Senior Manager Public Affairs And Traffic Safety Aaa Northeast, Hartford Courant, 24 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Repair.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/repair. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

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