remodel
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /rɪmˈɒdəl/
US
- /riˈmɑdəl/
Description
- change a building
- make major changes
- reshape
- update a space
Imagine your childhood bedroom. Years later, it may no longer fit your life, so you decide to remodel it. Maybe you remove a wall, build new shelves, or change the layout to make better use of the space. To remodel means to make major changes to the structure or design of something, usually a room or building. It is more than simple decorating because it changes how the place is built or arranged. People often remodel kitchens, bathrooms, and houses. The word can also be used in a broader way for changing a plan, system, or way of thinking.
To remodel means to change the structure, form, or layout of something, most often a building or part of a building. It is usually used when the changes are important, not small. An old house may need more than paint or new curtains. It may need walls moved, pipes replaced, cabinets removed, or rooms arranged in a new way. That is what remodeling is.
The word is most common when talking about homes, offices, stores, and other physical spaces. For example, people remodel kitchens, bathrooms, basements, or whole houses to improve how they look or work. It often includes building work, not just surface changes. Because of that, remodeling is different from redecorating, which usually means changing paint, furniture, or other visual details without changing the structure.
Remodel can also appear in a broader or figurative way. A person might remodel their daily routine, or a company might remodel its business plan. In these cases, the idea is still the same: something is being changed in a serious and meaningful way. Even so, the building-related meaning is the one you will meet most often.
So, whether someone is changing a kitchen, reworking an office, or using the word more loosely for a plan or lifestyle, remodel suggests major change rather than a small update.
Examples
- 1
Kitchen renovation
They're remodeling the kitchen this summer.
- 2
Temporary housing
We stayed with my sister while our apartment was being remodeled.
- 3
Old house
She bought an old house and remodeled it room by room.
- 4
New use
The old warehouse was remodeled into a small hotel.
Pattern
remodel X into Y
change X so it can be used as Y
- 5
Accessibility
The office was remodeled to make it easier for wheelchair users to get around.
Forms and spellings
6 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- remodelverb
Forms
- remodeling-ing formverb
- remodeledpast tenseverb
- remodelling-ing formverb
- remodelledpast tenseverb
- remodelsverb