overhaul

American  

[oh-ver-hawl, oh-ver-hawl, oh-ver-hawl] / ˌoʊ vərˈhɔl, ˈoʊ vərˌhɔl, ˈoʊ vərˌhɔl /

verb (used with object)

1. to make necessary repairs on; restore to serviceable condition.

   My car was overhauled by an expert mechanic.

2. to investigate or examine thoroughly for repair or revision.

   Next year we're going to overhaul the curriculum.

3. to gain upon, catch up with, or overtake, as in a race.

4. to haul or turn over for examination.

5. Nautical.

   1. to slacken (a rope) by hauling in the opposite direction to that in which the rope was drawn taut.

   2. to release the blocks of (a tackle).

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noun

1. Also overhauling. a general examination and repair.

   The state roads were badly in need of a major overhaul.

overhaul British  

verb

1. to examine carefully for faults, necessary repairs, etc

2. to make repairs or adjustments to (a car, machine, etc)

3. to overtake

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noun

1. a thorough examination and repair

Other Word Forms

• overhauler noun
• unoverhauled adjective

Etymology

Origin of overhaul

First recorded in 1620–30; over- + haul

Explanation

To overhaul is to completely renovate, making major changes in order to repair. A few shutters and a new coat of paint won't come close to fixing that old, boarded-up house — it needs a complete overhaul. Back in the 1620s when the word was coined, overhaul described examining a fishing net to make sure there were no tears or big holes that would keep the fisherman from getting a big haul, or large amount of fish. Today, an overhaul is usually the result of such a close examination — like the overhaul that some people want to make to American public schools, or the overhaul an old car needs to keep it on the road.

Example Sentences

By 1998, Cook had developed enough of a reputation for another kind of talent that Jobs recruited him to overhaul Apple’s supply chain and considered poaching him to be a major accomplishment.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026

And rather than relying on its own engineers to overhaul Siri, Apple has turned to Google for its AI capability.

From Barron's • Apr. 21, 2026

Rather than relying on its own engineers to overhaul Siri, Apple has turned to Google for AI capability.

From Barron's • Apr. 20, 2026

University students studying French, German or Spanish were recruited as mentors to teach school pupils, but then there was an overhaul to try this novel approach.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

And his allegedly repaired car coughed and floundered, as it had been doing for months prior to overhaul.

From "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick

Related Words

• fix
• improve
• modernize
• rebuild
• reconstruct
• reexamine
• renew
• repair
• revamp