verb

restore

rih-STAW

verb

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

"They spent years restoring the old farmhouse."

"The medicine helped restore his energy."

To give back something that was lost or taken.

"The government agreed to restore the seized property to its owners."

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

"She had to restore her phone from a backup after it broke."

How to Use Restore

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo bring something back — whether that's a building, someone's health, stolen property, or deleted computer files.

Common pairings

restore order restore from backup restore confidence

Word Forms

restored past tense, restore plural, restored plural, restores plural, restores singular, restore singular, restored singular, restorest singular, restoredst singular, restoreth singular

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Can you complete this real example?

The medicine helped _____ his energy.

Etymology

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

Rhymes for restore

ore bore tore yore lore more core fore sore gore pore adore

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