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

The party slowly unified France's disparate far-right movements, which included monarchists, Nazi collaborators seeking rehabilitation and nationalists angered by Charles de Gaulle's dismantling of France's overseas empire. —Ania Nussbaum and Angelina Rascouet Bloomberg News (tns), arkansasonline.com, 8 Jan. 2025

But it is still geared toward rehabilitation rather than punishment, legal experts told the Herald. —Shirsho Dasgupta, Miami Herald, 8 Jan. 2025

The good news is that borrowers in default on their federal student loans have options — such as Direct loan consolidation and federal student loan rehabilitation — that can cure their defaults and restore their loans back to good standing again. —Adam S. Minsky, Forbes, 8 Jan. 2025

People with close and prolonged exposure to infected birds are at much higher risk, including those who work in wildlife rehabilitation centers or farms. —Chuck Fieldman, Chicago Tribune, 7 Jan. 2025

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