rehabilitate
Return to health
Rehabilitate means to restore to a former condition or capacity.
A physical therapist rehabilitates injured athletes.
Prisons claim to rehabilitate criminals—preparing them for productive life outside.
The word extends to restoring reputation: The documentary sought to rehabilitate Nixon's legacy.
Buildings and neighborhoods can be rehabilitated through renovation.
In all uses, the core idea is bringing something damaged back to acceptable function.
Restoration to a group
- reentryComing back in
- paroleConditional early release
- probationSupervised trial period
- recidivismHabitual return to crime
reform · correction · prisoner · offender · incarceration · second-chance · expungement · pardon
Return to earlier state
- renovateRestore to good condition
- repairRestore to working order
- rebuildRestore after damage
- refurbishRestore worn items
recondition · revitalize · preservation · historic · landmark · brownfield · blight · infrastructure
Clear of wrongdoing
- exonerateClear of wrongdoing
- restoreReturn to earlier state
- clearWithout obstruction or fog
- redeemRecover through payment
absolve · reinstate · honor · credibility · image · standing · legacy · name
Curative mental treatment
- physiotherapyTreatment restoring bodily function
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- treatmentCare for an ailment
- healingRestoration of health
convalescence · recuperation · exercise · mobility · outpatient · inpatient · stroke · injury
Removing harmful substances internally
- sobrietyUnimpaired mental state
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- counselingProfessional guidance for problems
- twelve-stepAddiction recovery framework
treatment · intervention · withdrawal · sponsor · clean · residential · outpatient · AA
Restoration to a group
- communityCollective of connected people
- employmentPaid occupation status
- acceptanceConsent to receive
- inclusionBeing made part
support · transition · independence · mentoring · empowerment · self-sufficiency · housing · education
To let go
- sanctuaryProtected sacred space
- rescueSave from harm
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
- captivityState of being confined
injured · orphaned · endangered · reintroduction · habitat · veterinary · recovery · survival
reintegration
Restoration to a group
recidivism · reform · correction · prisoner · offender · incarceration · second-chance · expungement · pardon · sentence
restore
Return to earlier state
refurbish · recondition · revitalize · preservation · historic · landmark · brownfield · blight · infrastructure · facade
vindicate
Clear of wrongdoing
redeem · absolve · reinstate · honor · credibility · image · standing · legacy · name · character
therapy
Curative mental treatment
- physiotherapyTreatment restoring bodily function
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- treatmentCare for an ailment
healing · convalescence · recuperation · exercise · mobility · outpatient · inpatient · stroke · injury · surgery
detoxification
Removing harmful substances internally
- sobrietyUnimpaired mental state
- recoveryRegaining what was lost
- counselingProfessional guidance for problems
twelve-step · treatment · intervention · withdrawal · sponsor · clean · residential · outpatient · AA · abstinence
reintegration
Restoration to a group
- communityCollective of connected people
- employmentPaid occupation status
- acceptanceConsent to receive
inclusion · support · transition · independence · mentoring · empowerment · self-sufficiency · housing · education · normalization
release
To let go
- sanctuaryProtected sacred space
- rescueSave from harm
- conservationPreventing waste or loss
captivity · injured · orphaned · endangered · reintroduction · habitat · veterinary · recovery · survival · wild
- improveimprove, enhance, better, refine, upgrade
- Personal Changereform, repent, turn over a new leaf, straighten up, improve
- restorerebuild, reconstruct, refurbish, renovate, repair
- medical verbsdiagnose, treat, prescribe, cure, heal
- makeoversmakeover, glow-up, revamp, refresh, renovate
- recoveryrecovery, sobriety, recover, recovery room, early recovery
rehabilitateinjure
Cause physical harm
harm · damage · disable · incapacitate · debilitate
- drug rehabilitationTreatment for substance addiction
- rehabilitation centerFacility for overcoming dependency
- animal rehabilitationTreating injured wild creatures
- physical rehabilitationTreatment restoring movement ability
- rehabilitation programStructured treatment restoring ability
- criminal rehabilitationRestoring offenders to lawful life
rehabilitation, rehabilitated, rehabilitating, rehabilitative, rehabilitates, rehabilitations, rehabilitator, rehabilitators