What does "repair" mean?
The act of repairing something.
Repair
/ɹɪˈpɛə/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: The act of repairing something.
- Grammar: repair is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: amend, fix, fix, mend.
- Useful contrasts: active tearing, broken, crippled.
- Usage evidence: I made a temporary repair to the broken door.
How to use "repair"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "repair" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "repair" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "repair" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "repair" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "repair" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "amend" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "repair", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 The act of repairing something. countable, uncountable
"I took the car to the workshop for repair."
- 2 The act of repairing or resorting to a place.
"our annual repair to the mountains"
- 3 the act of putting something in working order again wordnet
- 4 The result of repairing something. countable, uncountable
"If you look closely you can see the repair in the paintwork."
- 5 A place to which one goes frequently or habitually; a haunt.
"There the fierce winds his tender force assail / And beat him downward to his first repair."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 a frequently visited place wordnet
- 7 The condition of something, in respect of need for repair. countable, uncountable
"The car was overall in poor repair before the accident. But after the workshop had it for three weeks it was returned in excellent repair. But the other vehicle was beyond repair."
- 8 a formal way of referring to the condition of something wordnet
Verb
- 1 To restore to good working order, fix, or improve damaged condition; to mend; to remedy.
"to repair a house, a road, a shoe, a ship"
- 2 To transfer oneself to another place.
"to repair to sanctuary for safety"
- 3 To pair again.
"Please try to repair the two earbuds to each other. Place both earbuds back into the charging case, wait for four seconds, then open it and see if they have been repaired with one another."
- 4 give new life or energy to wordnet
- 5 To make amends for, as for an injury, by an equivalent; to indemnify for.
"to repair a loss or damage"
Show 4 more definitions
- 6 set straight or right wordnet
- 7 restore by replacing a part or putting together what is torn or broken wordnet
- 8 move, travel, or proceed toward some place wordnet
- 9 make amends for; pay compensation for wordnet
Example
"I made a temporary repair to the broken door."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "repair"?
Common synonyms include: amend, fix, fix, mend, mend, rectify.
How do you use "repair" in a sentence?
I made a temporary repair to the broken door.
How do you pronounce "repair"?
Pronounced /ɹɪˈpɛə/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
Coined between 1300 and 1350 from Middle English repairen, from Middle French reparer, from Latin reparō (“renew, repair”).
Etymology 2
From Middle English repairen (“to return”), from Old French repairier, from Late Latin repatriare (“to return to one's country”), from re- + patria (“homeland”). Cognate to repatriate.
Etymology 3
From re- + pair.