reforming

verb

present participle of reform
1
as in rehabilitating
to make better in behavior or character volunteers at a sanctuary that tries to reform dogs with behavior problems

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in improving
to change one's behavior or character for the better a man who's been trying to reform ever since he got fired for missing too many days of work

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in amending
to remove errors, defects, deficiencies, or deviations from he had better reform his ways if he wants any of us to trust him

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reforming Since reforming and opening up its economy in the late 1970s, China has barreled its way to becoming the world’s second-largest economy, with hundreds of millions lifted out of poverty and a nation transformed. — John Liu, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026 Over time, the objectives of this opposition have shifted from reforming the regime to challenging its authority. — Mansoor Moaddel, Foreign Affairs, 15 Oct. 2026 The population consisted of workers transforming the strip of land to be habitable, even desirable, reforming the cluster into a model of hospitality. — Erin Parish, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026 The decade-plus of legal oversight of the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department, criminal justice experts have said, offers insight into the difficulties of reforming law enforcement agencies charged with endemic racial bias. — Yana Kunichoff, ProPublica, 18 Sep. 2026 Now, there’s a growing coalition trying to revive condo construction in California by reforming a decades-old law that housing advocates and developers say has put a stranglehold on condo development. — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026 Both floated other ideas like reforming the child tax credit, which is not a block grant and thus would not have the demand problem that the existing childcare subsidy program already has. — Helen Huiskes, The Hill, 9 Sep. 2026 Make a case for reforming Social Security and Medicare to preserve it for current and future generations. — Cal Thomas, Arkansas Online, 8 Sep. 2026 Getting real relief for our healthcare affordability woes is a gargantuan challenge that involves reforming many different parts of the system. — Lisa Jarvis, Twin Cities, 5 Sep. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reforming
  1. rehabilitating
  2. improving
  3. amending
  4. redeeming
  5. behaving
  6. correcting
  7. rewriting
Verb
  • The nonprofit provides lifelong care for aging, retired, rescued, and rehabilitating horses, while also offering volunteer opportunities and summer camps to teach kids about horse care.
    — Kaley Fedko, CBS News, 15 Oct. 2026
  • City staff are proposing a second bond of the same size to pay for building, preserving and rehabilitating more apartments, single-family homes and shelters.
    — Madison Iszler, San Antonio Express-News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of rehabilitating
Verb
  • The performance of hydrocarbons must be considered as part of a wider system that is simultaneously scaling clean electricity input and improving efficiency across the value chain.
    — H.E. Dr Abdulla Saif Al Jarwan, Fortune, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Voters in DeKalb County will decide whether to renew a special one-cent sales tax that goes toward improving schools.
    — Emily McLeod, CBS News, 21 Oct. 2026
Definition of improving
Verb
  • In 1990, Congress considered amending the CAA so that the EPA could substitute itself and take control of citizen suits over alleged violations.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Independent experts have also called for amending building codes to require long-term monitoring of settlement.
    — Denise Hruby, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of amending
Verb
  • That would have worked out fine when Fochesato tried redeeming his Timeless Ticket for a potential World Series game in 2018, when the Brewers reached the NL Championship Series.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The Brewers also encouraged fans redeeming postseason seats to do so before the start of public sale periods.
    — Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of redeeming
Verb
  • Why 2026 is different Nonetheless, analysts CNBC spoke to broadly agreed that reforms meant that even if the market is behaving in similar ways to the post-financial crisis period, the contagion risk remained limited this time around.
    — Jenni Reid,Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Congress should hold hearings focused on companies cutting corners, not AI programs behaving badly.
    — David Litt, Time, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of behaving
Verb
  • The summary also said the safety manager responsible for walking around the warehouse daily and correcting issues failed to notice the unguarded part of the shear machine.
    — Myla S. Roundy, Washington Post, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Coach Karl Smesko said the Dream focused on correcting defensive breakdowns, rebounding and improving their offense after reviewing film.
    — Christopher Harris, CBS News, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of correcting
Verb
  • The platform also bundles research and web search tools, AI image generation, document chat and translation, and writing tools for rewriting and summarizing.
    — StackCommerce Team, PC Magazine, 26 Oct. 2026
  • How dupes are rewriting what counts as impressive Traditional luxury has always leaned on exclusivity, recognizable branding and premium prices.
    — Ashley Lynch, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 Oct. 2026
Definition of rewriting

Browse Nearby Words

reformers
reforming
reformist
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reforming.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reforming. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of grotesque

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
different halloween monsters in silhouette
A Monstrous Vocab Quiz Words That Go Bump in the Night
See All