restore

12 synonyms and 4 antonyms for restore, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Verb — To bring something back to its former, usually better, condition.

Synonyms

Everyday swaps

Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.

fix doctor

Less common

Still standard English, but they carry more weight.

revive rebuild mend

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

renovate refurbish reinstate reestablish reconstruct bushel regenerate

Synonyms by Meaning

1. verb

To bring something back to its former, usually better, condition.

“The museum hired an expert to restore the faded painting to its original glory.”

renovate refurbish reinstate revive rebuild mend reestablish reconstruct bushel fix doctor regenerate

Opposites

destroy aggravate

2. verb

To give back something that was lost or taken.

“The council promised to restore the stolen statue to the town square.”

Opposites

confiscate

3. verb

In computing, to recover data or a system from a backup.

“After the crash, the technician managed to restore all my files from the backup drive.”

Opposites

delete

How to use restore

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

restore order restore from backup restore confidence

Etymology

From Old French restorer, from Latin restaurare, formed from re- ("again") plus a root related to "to build."

Full origin of restore →

Frequently asked questions

What does “restore” mean?

The word “restore” means to bring something back to its former, usually better, condition. In plain terms, to bring something back — whether that's a building, someone's health, stolen property, or deleted computer files.

How do you pronounce “restore”?

“Restore” is pronounced rih-STAW (/ɹɪˈstoɹ/ in IPA).

How do you use “restore” in a sentence?

Here is “restore” used in a sentence: “The medicine helped restore his energy.”

What part of speech is “restore”?

“Restore” is a verb.

Where does the word “restore” come from?

The word “restore” comes from Latin. From Old French restorer, from Latin restaurare, formed from re- ("again") plus a root related to "to build.".

Is “restore” a common word?

“Restore” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

How many meanings does “restore” have?

“Restore” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to bring something back to its former, usually better, condition.

What is the difference between "restore" and "repair"?

To "restore" is to bring something back to its former, usually better condition, often its original state. To "repair" is to fix what is broken or damaged; you might repair a single part, but restoring aims to return the whole thing to how it once was.

What is the difference between "restore" and "renovate"?

"Restore" aims to return something to its original condition while keeping its former character. "Renovate" means to update or modernise, which may change the original design, so restoring an old house preserves it, while renovating may add new features.

What is the difference between "restore" and "return"?

In the sense of giving something back, "restore" and "return" are close, but "restore" often carries a sense of putting things right, as in restoring rights or restoring order. "Return" simply means to give or send something back to its owner or place.

When should you use "restore" instead of "fix"?

Use "restore" when the goal is to bring something back to a former, better state, such as restoring a painting or restoring confidence. "Fix" is more casual and focuses on correcting a specific fault or problem.

People also searched

doctor fix destroy delete rebuild revive mend reconstruct regenerate refurbish aggravate bushel

Nearby words

← Back to the full definition of restore