# renovate

/ˈɹɛnəˌveɪt/ (US) · /ɹˈɛnəvˌeɪt/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/renovate
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. to restore a building

verb · CEFR B2

to repair and decorate an old building or room to make it look new and work better.

For teachers: to restore a building, room, or structure to a good state of repair; implies significant structural or aesthetic improvement.

- They spent the whole summer renovating the old farmhouse before moving in.
- The developers plan to renovate the historic warehouse, converting the upper floors into luxury apartments while maintaining the original brick facade.

Usage: Commonly used with buildings, houses, or specific rooms like kitchens and bathrooms.

### 2. to refresh or renew

verb · CEFR C1 · Literary

to make something feel fresh, strong, or new again.

For teachers: to restore to freshness, vigour, or a renewed state; often used in a more abstract or literary sense than physical construction.

- A week in the mountains helped renovate his tired spirit.
- The spring rains seemed to renovate the parched landscape, bringing a sudden burst of green to the valley.

Teaching tip: This sense is much less common than the construction sense; students should use 'rejuvenate' or 'refresh' in modern speech.

## Examples

- They plan to renovate the old kitchen next summer.
- The couple bought a cheap, run-down farmhouse and spent two years working to renovate it into a modern home.
- The city council allocated significant funds to renovate the historic library, ensuring that the original architecture was preserved while updating the internal electrical systems.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.