restore

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.

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

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

“Restore” is a verb.

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

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

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

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.

"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.

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.

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.