reform
reform — verb
1. To change a system, law, organization, or someone's personal habits in order to
To change a system, law, organization, or someone's personal habits in order to fix its faults and make it work better.
The government plans to reform the healthcare system so that more people can get treatment quickly.
collocation: reform + [system / law / institution]
After years of gambling, Eshe decided to reform and focus on her family.
intransitive: person reforms their behaviour
Many economists argue that the tax code needs to be reformed completely.
Tomás promised to reform the company's outdated hiring practices.
The welfare system was reformed in 2005 to give more support to low-income families.
文法句型
reform + [system / law / institution]
reform + [person's ways / behaviour]
用法筆記
Can be used transitively (reform a system) or intransitively (a person reforms). For personal behaviour change, the intransitive use often implies stopping a harmful habit. The passive form is common in news discourse.
常見錯誤
reform — noun
1. A change made to a system, law, organization, or personal way of behaving that c
A change made to a system, law, organization, or personal way of behaving that corrects faults and produces better results.
The education reform introduced smaller class sizes across all public schools.
collocation: education / tax / political / health reform
Christopher believes that political reform is necessary to reduce corruption in the government.
The reform of the banking system after the crisis took over a decade to complete.
The government announced sweeping reforms to the immigration system last week.
Historians consider the 1832 Reform Act a turning point in the development of British democracy.
- overhaul
suggests a more thorough and complete rebuilding of a system
- restructuring
focuses on changing the organisation or arrangement, not necessarily fixing faults
- amendment
a smaller, more specific change, usually to a law or document
- stagnation
a state of no movement or change
- deterioration
the process of becoming worse rather than better
文法句型
[area] + reform
reform of + [system / institution]
用法筆記
Often follows a noun to specify the area of change, e.g. education reform, tax reform, electoral reform. Can be countable (a reform, many reforms) when referring to specific changes, or uncountable (reform) when talking about the idea or process in general.
常見錯誤
2. A shorter way to refer to Reform UK, a British political party that advocates fo
A shorter way to refer to Reform UK, a British political party that advocates for lower taxes, stricter immigration controls, and reducing the size of government.
Reform won two seats in the last general election.
proper noun: always capitalised
Voters who supported Reform said they wanted lower taxes and stricter rules on immigration.
The leader of Reform gave a speech about cutting government waste and reducing regulation.
Some members of Reform left the party after a disagreement over trade and environmental policy.
文法句型
Reform + [verb]
the leader / members / supporters of Reform
用法筆記
Always capitalised. Used mainly in British political news contexts. The party was originally founded as the Brexit Party in 2018 and was renamed Reform UK in 2021.
常見錯誤
reform — adjective
1. Supporting or connected to the idea of making changes to existing systems, espec
Supporting or connected to the idea of making changes to existing systems, especially in politics where reforms are seen as necessary improvements.
The newspaper has a reform agenda and wants to change how the country is run.
collocation: reform agenda / reform movement / reform candidate
Reform candidates were elected to the city council after promising to cut waste and taxes.
The reform movement gained widespread support across the country after the corruption scandal broke.
The reform mayor pushed for a full review of the public transport system.
- progressive
broader term that also includes social and cultural change, not just structural reform
- revisionist
more negative connotation, often used for changing historical interpretations
- conservative
resists change and prefers to keep existing systems
- reactionary
wants to return to an earlier, more traditional state
文法句型
reform + [noun]
用法筆記
Used only before a noun (attributive position). It cannot be used after a linking verb — e.g. 'a reform politician' is correct, but 'the politician is reform' is not. Often contrasts with 'conservative' or 'traditional' in political writing.
常見錯誤
2. Belonging to Reform Judaism, a liberal branch of Judaism that adapts traditional
Belonging to Reform Judaism, a liberal branch of Judaism that adapts traditional religious beliefs and practices to fit modern life.
The Liang family attends a Reform synagogue near their home every Friday evening.
collocation: Reform synagogue / Reform congregation / Reform Judaism
Reform Judaism allows men and women to sit together during worship services.
Her grandmother was raised Orthodox but later joined a Reform congregation in the city.
The Reform movement ordains female rabbis and welcomes interfaith families.
- Liberal Judaism
used mainly in the UK to describe the same movement
- Progressive Judaism
an umbrella term that includes Reform and other liberal Jewish movements
- Orthodox Judaism
the traditional branch that maintains original religious practices
文法句型
Reform + [Judaism / synagogue / rabbi / congregation]
用法筆記
Always capitalised. This sense refers specifically to the Reform movement within Judaism, which began in 19th-century Germany. It contrasts with Orthodox Judaism and Conservative Judaism. 'Reform' is placed before religious terms: a Reform synagogue, not a 'reformed' synagogue.