rebuild
gb/ɹibˈɪld/ us/ɹibˈɪld/
A2
English
~ 4300
Senses
0 senses
Verb
A2
action
1
Build again after damage
To make or fix something again after it has been broken or destroyed.
Usage pattern:
to rebuild [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'rebuild' with 'repair'. 'Rebuild' usually means making something almost from scratch after major damage, while 'repair' is for fixing smaller problems.
Synonyms
reconstruct (More formal; often used for historical buildings or detailed restoration.)
|
restore (Emphasizes returning something to its original condition.)
Antonyms
demolish (Means to completely destroy a structure, the opposite of rebuilding.)
|
damage (Means to harm or impair, which is the reverse process of rebuilding.)
Collocations
rebuild a house
|rebuild a bridge
|rebuild the city
|rebuild the economy
|rebuild infrastructure
Themes
construction
|repair
|daily life
|housing
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- After the storm, the town worked together to rebuild the school.
- They plan to rebuild the bridge that collapsed last year.
- The company is helping to rebuild homes in the area.
- Volunteers came from all over the country to rebuild the community center.
- It took years to rebuild the cathedral after the fire.
Learner examples
- We will rebuild our house after the fire.
- They rebuild the road every summer.
- My uncle will rebuild his shop next month.
- The workers rebuild the wall quickly.
- We rebuild the playground for the children.
Verb
B1
action
2
Restore a system or relationship
To make a system, group, or relationship strong again after problems or damage.
Usage pattern:
to rebuild [something abstract]
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'fix' instead of 'rebuild' for abstract concepts; 'fix' sounds too casual for serious recovery efforts.
Synonyms
restore (Focuses on bringing back a former state; broader than 'rebuild'.)
|
revive (Emphasizes bringing something back to life or activity.)
Antonyms
undermine (Means to weaken gradually, which is the opposite of rebuilding strength.)
|
damage (To harm or impair, reversing progress made in rebuilding.)
Collocations
rebuild trust
|rebuild confidence
|rebuild a team
|rebuild the economy
|rebuild a reputation
Themes
business
|society
|relationships
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The new manager worked hard to rebuild trust among employees.
- It will take time to rebuild the country's economy.
- They are trying to rebuild their friendship after the argument.
- The coach's main task is to rebuild team spirit.
- We need to rebuild public confidence in the system.
Learner examples
- We must rebuild trust with our customers.
- He wants to rebuild his friendship with her.
- The leader will rebuild the team after the loss.
- We try to rebuild confidence in our school.
- They work to rebuild peace in the city.
Grammar
Dictionary form
rebuild
IPA
GB/ɹibˈɪld/
US/ɹibˈɪld/
Syllables & stress
re - build (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (build)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: rebuild
- 3rd Person Singular: re-builds, rebuilds
- Present Participle: re-building, rebuilding
- Past: re-built, rebuilt
- Past Participle: re-built, rebuilt
Word family
Forms
re-builds
verb
rebuilds
verb
re-building
verb
rebuilding
verb
re-built
verb
rebuilt
verb
Highlights
- Irregular past: re-built, rebuilt Verb
- Irregular past participle: re-built, rebuilt Verb
Expressions
rebuild from scratch
1/ɹibˈɪld fɹˈʌm skɹˈæt͡ʃ/
fixed phrase
Build again starting from nothing
To make something again starting with nothing at all.
Examples
- After losing all their data, they had to rebuild from scratch.
- The fire destroyed the shop, so they rebuilt from scratch.
rebuild one's life
1/ɹibˈɪld wˈʌnz lˈaɪf/
fixed phrase
Restore life after hardship
To make your life better again after bad events or loss.
Examples
- After the accident, she worked hard to rebuild her life.
- Moving to a new city was his chance to rebuild his life.