reconstruct
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
to build something again after it has been damaged or destroyed.
to build or assemble something again, typically after it has been damaged, destroyed, or dismantled.
Simple“The city worked for years to reconstruct the historic bridge after the flood.”
In context“Following the earthquake, the government allocated significant funds to reconstruct the damaged infrastructure using modern seismic-resistant materials.”
UsageOften used with physical structures like buildings, bridges, or historical sites.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
to use information or evidence to figure out exactly how something happened in the past.
to form a picture or model of a past event by assembling and analyzing available evidence.
Simple“Police are trying to reconstruct the accident to see who was at fault.”
In context“Forensic experts spent weeks trying to reconstruct the final moments of the flight by analyzing data from the black box recorders.”
UsageCommonly used in legal, forensic, and historical contexts.
Synonyms
Usage reconstructing ancient
“Together, these efforts could help astronomers reconstruct the family tree of little red dots and determine how these mysterious early universe sources develop over cosmic time.”
“Reconstructing the transition from a world populated almost entirely by microbes to one filled with plants, animals, and fungi could also help scientists understand whether complex life might develop elsewhere in the universe.”
From re- + construct.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.