reconstruction
noun
re·con·struc·tion
ˌrē-kən-ˈstrək-shən 
plural reconstructions
1
a
: the action of reconstructing : the act or process of rebuilding, repairing, or restoring something
reconstruction efforts to repair hurricane damage
the reconstruction of the dam
the reconstruction of postwar Europe
b
Reconstruction in U.S. history
: the period from 1865 to 1877 in which the southern states that had seceded during the American Civil War rejoined the United States
c
medical
: repair of an organ or body part by reconstructive surgery
knee/ligament reconstruction
2
a
: the re-creation or reimagining of something from the past especially by using information acquired through research
the historical reconstruction of an ancient village
the newspaper's reconstruction of the events
b
: a technical process by which scientific principles and techniques are applied to physical evidence in order to create an accurate reenactment or understanding of a past occurrence or event (such as an accident)
technology used in crime scene reconstruction
Examples of reconstruction in a Sentence
the reconstruction of the dam
the reconstruction of postwar Europe
reconstruction of the health-care system
They were able to determine the cause of the accident by careful reconstruction of the events leading up to it.
The police staged a reconstruction of the crime.
Recent Examples on the Web
Claudia Fontes’s stainless-steel Reconstruction of the Portrait of Pablo Míguez, representing a kidnapped child, seemed to rise from the river itself and stare across its expansive waters, as though searching for the corpses below.
—
Julia M. Klein, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
The roadway reconstruction will also support connections to future ramps at the new I-490 Tollway via the Franklin Avenue Interchange.
—Pioneer Press, Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
Several projects, including the Belvedere reconstruction and universal pre-K, were not funded in this budget cycle.
—Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed notable damage, particularly at the Fordow site, but warned that full reconstruction could take years.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for reconstruction
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Julia M. Klein, The Atlantic, 11 July 2025
The roadway reconstruction will also support connections to future ramps at the new I-490 Tollway via the Franklin Avenue Interchange.
—Pioneer Press, Chicago Tribune, 3 July 2025
Several projects, including the Belvedere reconstruction and universal pre-K, were not funded in this budget cycle.
—Eleanor McCrary, The Courier-Journal, 2 July 2025
The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) confirmed notable damage, particularly at the Fordow site, but warned that full reconstruction could take years.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for reconstruction
Cite this Entry
“Reconstruction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reconstruction. Accessed 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
reconstruction
noun
re·con·struc·tion
ˌrē-kən-ˈstrək-shən
1
a
: the action of reconstructing : the state of being reconstructed
b
often capitalized
: the reorganization and reestablishment of the Confederate states in the Union after the American Civil War
2
: something reconstructed
Medical Definition
reconstruction
noun
re·con·struc·tion
ˌrē-kən-ˈstrək-shən
: repair of an organ or part by reconstructive surgery
breast reconstruction
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