rebuild
/ˌriːˈbɪld/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌriːˈbɪld/ (ame, ipa) · /(ˌ)rē-ˈbild/ (ame, mw)
rebuild — verb
- rebuildpresent simple I / you / we / they
- rebuildshe / she / it
- rebuiltpast simple
- rebuilding-ing form
1. to construct something again after it has been damaged, destroyed, or is no long
to construct something again after it has been damaged, destroyed, or is no longer usable — for example, a family rebuilding a house after a fire, or a town rebuilding a bridge after a storm.
After the earthquake, the team from Istanbul helped rebuild the school in the village.
collocation: rebuild + school / house / bridge
The old cathedral took over ten years to rebuild after the fire.
passive structure: took + time + to rebuild
Daichi's family hired local builders to completely rebuild their home after the typhoon.
Volunteers worked through the summer to rebuild the community centre that had burned down.
The government provided funds for the city to rebuild its main bridge across the river.
- reconstruct
more formal and often implies careful restoration of the original design
- renovate
focuses on modernising or repairing, not necessarily rebuilding after destruction
- restore
highlights returning something to its original state, often through repair work
文法句型
rebuild + noun phrase
be rebuilt by + noun phrase
用法筆記
Often used in the passive voice when the focus is on the repaired structure rather than who repaired it (e.g., The temple was rebuilt in the 19th century).
常見錯誤
2. to develop a damaged or ineffective system, organization, or relationship so tha
to develop a damaged or ineffective system, organization, or relationship so that it functions well again — for example, a manager rebuilding a team's morale, or a government rebuilding a country's economy after a crisis.
After the financial crisis, Hari helped rebuild the company's reputation from the ground up.
collocation: rebuild + reputation / trust / relationship
The new manager spent months rebuilding trust between the staff and the management.
Beatrix is working with local leaders to rebuild the education system in the war-torn region.
Lukas rebuilt the entire computer network after the security breach exposed its weaknesses.
- reorganise
focuses on changing the structure or arrangement rather than restoring strength
- overhaul
implies a thorough examination and major changes, often used for systems
- reform
suggests making improvements by correcting faults, especially in institutions
文法句型
rebuild + noun phrase (abstract)
rebuild + noun phrase + from + noun phrase
用法筆記
The object of this sense is typically an abstract noun such as trust, reputation, system, economy, network, or morale. The subject is often an organisation, institution, or person in a leadership role.
常見錯誤
3. to work towards bringing yourself or another person back to a positive condition
to work towards bringing yourself or another person back to a positive condition in life after a painful event — for example, regaining your self-belief after a disappointment, or starting a new professional chapter after losing a job.
After losing her job, Antonia slowly began to rebuild her confidence and daily routine.
collocation: rebuild + confidence / life / career
The couple attended counselling together to rebuild their marriage after a difficult year.
Léa moved to a new city to rebuild her life after the divorce.
Sade spent two years rebuilding her career after caring for her sick mother.
文法句型
rebuild + possessive + life / career / confidence
rebuild + noun phrase + after + noun phrase
用法筆記
Most commonly used with life, confidence, career, or marriage as the object. The sentence usually includes or implies a prior negative event (the reason rebuilding was needed).