Reform
To make changes intended to improve something; to change for the better, especially a system, policy, or practice.
verbReform
To make changes intended to improve something; to change for the better, especially a system, policy, or practice.
verbImagine This
Imagine a weary city hall whose outdated rules govern tax collection and education. A reformer arrives with a bright blueprint, tears out the old gears, and installs new ones, so streets run smoother, schools prosper, and officials listen to citizens again.
Sounds Like
ri-FORM
Looks Like
prefix 're-' + 'form' (shape); visually resembles 're-' plus 'form'
Remember This
Mnemonic: RE-FORM = 'form again'—think of shaping something anew. The prefix re- means again or anew; 'form' is shape.
Other Forms
Connect With
amend, improve, overhaul, restructure, modernize
Note
As a verb, reform takes a direct object (reform something). As a noun, it refers to the act or process of reform (e.g., reforms to the tax code). Watch for plural form 'reforms' when referring to multiple changes.