rehabilitation

noun

re·​ha·​bil·​i·​ta·​tion ˌrē-ə-ˌbi-lə-ˈtā-shən 

ˌrē-hə-

plural rehabilitations

: the action, process, or result of rehabilitating or of being rehabilitated: such as

a

: restoration especially by therapeutic means to an improved condition of physical function

MCL injuries alone rarely necessitate surgery and heal with rest and rehabilitation.

—Shira Springer

The handsome barn-style building is used as a wildlife rehabilitation center, so you'll see mending hawks, eagles, or owls perching.

—Lora J. Finnegan

also : the process of restoring a person to a drug- or alcohol-free state

… the tabloid feeding frenzy surrounding his drug bust and ensuing rehabilitation for heroin addiction last year.

—Joyce Millman

b

: the process of restoring someone (such as a criminal) to a useful and constructive place in society

the rehabilitation of prisoners

a prison rehabilitation program

c

: the restoration of something damaged or deteriorated to a prior good condition

the rehabilitation of the neighborhood

the rehabilitation of a person's reputation

Synonyms

• comeback
• convalescence
• healing
• mending
• rally
• recovery
• recuperation
• rehab
• snapback

Examples of rehabilitation in a Sentence

his rehabilitation from the flu was brief, and he was up and working again within a few days

Recent Examples on the Web

Phase 2: Begin active rehabilitation of the ankle, such as movements to increase the range of motion of your ankle, isometric exercises to strengthen the muscles around the ankle and balance training to get your proprioception back in shape. —Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 19 Oct. 2024

Staff from the nonprofit Albatross Project took the desperate bird to the organization’s rehabilitation center nearby, where veterinarian Daphne Goldberg and her colleagues examined the albatross and decided euthanasia was the only option. —Danielle Beurteaux, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Oct. 2024

Guess began working with Homeboy Threads, the social enterprise branch of L.A. gang rehabilitation nonprofit Homeboy Industries, in 2022 to create tote bags, patchwork denim, bustiers and throw pillows. —Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 14 Oct. 2024

Campus Snapshot: Chief Dull Knife College, Lame Deer, Montana Mostly squeezed into a decrepit former rehabilitation center, the 7-acre campus’s infrastructure problems are visible the moment students approach the crumbling concrete stairs at the entrance. —Matt Krupnick, ProPublica, 14 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing rehabilitation

• physical medicine and rehabilitation

Medical Definition

rehabilitation

noun

re·​ha·​bil·​i·​ta·​tion ˌrē-(h)ə-ˌbil-ə-ˈtā-shən 

often attributive

1

: the action or process of rehabilitating or of being rehabilitated: as

a

: the physical restoration of a sick or disabled person by therapeutic measures and reeducation to participation in the activities of a normal life within the limitations of the person's physical disability

rehabilitation after coronary occlusion

b

: the process of restoring an individual to a useful and constructive place in society especially through some form of vocational, correctional, or therapeutic retraining

2

: the result of rehabilitating : the state of being rehabilitated

rehabilitation of the patient