restore

verb

re·​store ri-ˈstȯr 

restored; restoring

transitive verb

1

: give back, return

The police restored the stolen backpack to its owner.

2

: to put or bring back into existence or use

Surgery will restore his hearing.

3

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

restore an old house

4

: to put again in possession of something

restored the king to the throne

restorer noun

Synonyms of restore

• revive
• recreate
• refresh
• renew
• renovate

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

The independent company prioritized restoring the hotel, which has a place on the National Register of Historic Places, to its former splendor and updating it to delight modern sensibilities. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026

Charlotte restored its support for the Interstate 77 South toll lane project on Monday, caving to a pressure campaign from state lawmakers despite lingering concerns. — Charlotte Observer, 22 Sep. 2026

The Bolsonaro reaction Flávio Bolsonaro, by contrast, criticizes Brazilian democratic institutions – particularly the Supreme Court and the electoral system – as obstacles to restoring the country’s political order. — Andre Pagliarini, The Conversation, 22 Sep. 2026

Riyadh aims to restore meaningful flows by Saturday, one of the people told Bloomberg. — Spencer Kimball,justina Lee, CNBC, 22 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English restoren "to make restitution, return, heal, return to health, replace, restock," borrowed from Anglo-French restorer, restaurer (also continental Old French), borrowed from Latin restaurāre "to return to its former condition, bring back into existence," alteration, by suffix substitution, of instaurāre "to start afresh (an interrupted rite), take up again, restore" (probably after instituere "to set into being, establish" : restituere "to set up again, restore") — more at store entry 1

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for restore

• abhor
• abor
• adore
• afore
• ardour
• ashore
• backdoor
• before
• bookstore
• candour
• centaur
• claymore

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