renovate

verb

ren·​o·​vate ˈre-nə-ˌvāt 

renovated; renovating

transitive verb

1

: to restore to a former better state (as by cleaning, repairing, or rebuilding)

2

: to restore to life, vigor, or activity : revive

the church was renovated by a new ecumenical spirit

renovation

ˌre-nə-ˈvā-shən 

noun

renovative

ˈre-nə-ˌvā-tiv 

adjective

renovator

ˈre-nə-ˌvā-tər 

noun

Did you know?

What Is the Difference Between renovate, renew, and restore?

Renovate, renew, restore, refresh, and rejuvenate all mean to make like new. Renovate (a word ultimately derived from the Latin verb novare, meaning "to make new," itself a descendant of novus, meaning "new") suggests a renewing by cleansing, repairing, or rebuilding. 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 suggests a return to an original state after depletion or loss ("restored a piece of furniture"). Refresh implies the supplying of something necessary to restore lost strength, animation, or power ("a refreshing drink"). Rejuvenate suggests the restoration of youthful vigor, powers, or appearance ("she was rejuvenated by her new job").

Synonyms

• doctor
• fix
• mend
• patch
• recondition
• repair
• revamp

Choose the Right Synonym for renovate

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 renovate in a Sentence

It's an old factory that has been renovated as office space.

We renovated the kitchen three years ago.

Recent Examples on the Web

The basketball court was preserved, but not renovated. —Tammy Ljungblad, Kansas City Star, 16 Apr. 2024

The money will fund a range of programs, from grants to build and renovate parks in low-income neighborhoods to school field trips to parks and historic sites. —Paul Rogers, The Mercury News, 15 Apr. 2024

While there were never official plans to have the power plant be part of the campus, some suggested it could be renovated into a museum or fine arts building. —Harrison Mantas, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Apr. 2024

So Biden’s proposal to build and renovate more than 2 million could help. —Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 11 Apr. 2024

How to use it in everyday life: Use this tactic when making big consumer choices, says Moon — like hiring a contractor to renovate your kitchen or buying a car. —Marielle Segarra, NPR, 11 Apr. 2024

At least five projects there on are on the park's current to-do list: install a bike skills course; repair the Everybody’s Treehouse; renovate the Doris Day Dog Park; install a new playground; and renovate a building used for maintenance and storage. —The Enquirer, 11 Apr. 2024

The Process: Transforming Vision into Reality Choosing what and how to renovate can seem overwhelming, especially without a clear vision. —Molly Peck, USA TODAY, 10 Apr. 2024

It was noted there were tarps and other construction materials on or about the building that seemed to indicate it was being renovated. —Steven Mross, arkansasonline.com, 7 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin renovatus, past participle of renovare, from re- + novare to make new, from novus new — more at new

First Known Use

1535, in the meaning defined at sense 2

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Kids Definition

renovate

verb

ren·​o·​vate ˈren-ə-ˌvāt 

renovated; renovating

: to make like new again : put in good condition

renovation

ˌren-ə-ˈvā-shən 

noun

renovator

ˈren-ə-ˌvāt-ər 

noun