restore

Word relationships

• re-establish: Re-establish means to set up again, but restore specifically implies returning something to its exact previous state or condition.
• reconstitute: Reconstitute means to build up again from parts, whereas restore focuses on returning the original whole to its proper place.

• corrupt: To damage or alter data so that it becomes unusable, which is the opposite of restoring it to a functional state.

Commonly confused with

• retrieve: Retrieve means to locate and fetch data that is stored safely, while restore means to rebuild or put back data that was lost or damaged.

Word family

• restoration (noun): The act of returning something to its former condition.
• restorative (adjective): Having the ability to restore health or strength.

Collocations

• restore from backup
• restore system settings
• restore lost files
• restore factory defaults

Example sentences

• "After the operating system crashed, we had to restore the entire database from the backup tape." Recovering from a system crash.
• "If you do not like the recent edits, you can easily restore the previous version of the document from the history panel." Reverting a document to an older version.

Memory hook

Think of a restaurant. A restaurant 'restores' your energy with food; a digital restore 'restores' your computer's health with data. Restore brings back what you had before.

When not to use

Do not use restore when you are simply opening an existing, undamaged file (use retrieve or open instead).

Fun facts

• The word 'restaurant' actually shares the exact same Latin root as restore; the first French restaurants in the 18th century sold highly concentrated, restorative broths to heal tired customers.

Related words

recovery, backup, retrieve

Explore more words

remediate, restoration, restorative, rehabilitate, remediation, regenerative

Also appears in

• Nature → Environmental Conservation