recover

American  

[ri-kuhv-er] / rɪˈkʌv ər /

verb (used with object)

• recovers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• recovered,
  past participle,  past
• recovering
  present participle

1. to get back or regain (something lost or taken away).

   to recover a stolen watch.

2. to make up for or make good (loss, damage, etc., to oneself ).

3. to regain the strength, composure, balance, or the like, of (oneself ).

4. Law.

   1. to obtain by judgment in a court of law, or by legal proceedings.

      to recover damages for a wrong.

   2. to acquire title to through judicial process.

      to recover land.

5. to reclaim from a bad state, practice, etc.

6. to regain (a substance) in usable form, as from refuse material or from a waste product or by-product of manufacture; reclaim.

7. Military. to return (a weapon) to a previously held position in the manual of arms.

8. Football. to gain or regain possession of (a fumble).

   They recovered the ball on their own 20-yard line.

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verb (used without object)

• recovers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• recovered,
  past participle,  past
• recovering
  present participle

1. to regain health after being sick, wounded, or the like (often followed byfrom ).

   to recover from an illness.

   Synonyms:

   rally, recuperate, mend, heal

2. to regain a former and better state or condition.

   The city soon recovered from the effects of the earthquake.

3. to regain one's strength, composure, balance, etc.

4. Law. to obtain a favorable judgment in a suit for something.

5. Football. to gain or regain possession of a fumble.

   The Giants recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.

6. to make a recovery in fencing or rowing.

recover British  

/ rɪˈkʌvə /

verb

1. (tr) to find again or obtain the return of (something lost)

2. to regain (loss of money, position, time, etc); recoup

3. (of a person) to regain (health, spirits, composure, etc), as after illness, a setback, or a shock, etc

4. to regain (a former and usually better condition)

   industry recovered after the war

5. law

   1. (tr) to gain (something) by the judgment of a court of law

      to recover damages

   2. (intr) to succeed in a lawsuit

6. (tr) to obtain (useful substances) from waste

7. (intr) (in fencing, swimming, rowing, etc) to make a recovery

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Synonym Usage

Recover, reclaim, retrieve are to regain literally or figuratively something or someone. To recover is to obtain again what one has lost possession of: to recover a stolen jewel. To reclaim is to bring back from error or wrongdoing, or from a rude or undeveloped state: to reclaim desert land by irrigation. To retrieve is to bring back or restore, especially something to its former, prosperous state: to retrieve one's fortune.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• recoverability
  noun
• recoverer
  noun
• recoverable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• recovering
  present
• recovered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• recover
  simple
• recovers
  simple
• have recovered
  perfect
• has recovered
  perfect
• am recovering
  progressive
• are recovering
  progressive
• is recovering
  progressive
• have been recovering
  perfect progressive
• has been recovering
  perfect progressive

Past

• recovered
  simple
• had recovered
  perfect
• was recovering
  progressive
• were recovering
  progressive
• had been recovering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will recover
  simple
• will have recovered
  perfect
• will be recovering
  progressive
• will have been recovering
  perfect progressive

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Etymology

Origin of recover

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English recoveren, from Middle French recoverer, from Latin recuperāre “to regain”; see origin at recuperate

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Explanation

To recover something is to get it back. After you lose your watch, you might recover it from the wastebasket. The re- in recover is a clue that this word has "again" as part of its meaning. We can only recover things that we had before. Often, this word applies to health. Someone who is sick needs to recover — when they're totally recovered, they're all better. If the stock market crashes, it needs to recover — this happens when the market is healthier and money is flowing again. It's good to recover, but it means something bad happened in the first place.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

recover recovers recovered recovering

In effect, exercise helps muscles perform an important internal cleanup, making it easier for them to maintain healthy tissue and recover from damage.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

Istanbul was battling on Thursday to recover from flooding caused by what officials described as the heaviest rainfall in at least 80 years, as the toll rose to three dead and five missing.

From Barron's ● Oct. 15, 2026

The IEA expects global diesel supplies to remain tight well into next year as Middle East fuel exports struggle to recover.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

The reason is that, over 30-year horizons, there almost always is at least one massive bear market, and 30 years often are not long enough for the stock market to fully recover.

From MarketWatch ● Oct. 14, 2026

Somehow Leah smuggled Maggie out of Troy that night and brought her to a hotel in nearby Albany to recover.

From "American Spirits" by Barb Rosenstock

The approaching Northern Hemisphere winter leaves the market with little margin for error: until refining output recovers, inventories rebuild and shipping risks ease, efforts to lower diesel prices are likely to face significant limits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 16, 2026

"We've been told that the burns on her hands and feet are improving, although even after she recovers, she may not return 100 percent to how she was before she suffered the burns."

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

The Ducks will also be without forward Troy Terry, who averaged 24 goals over the past five seasons, until well into the winter as he recovers from hip surgery.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 27, 2026

“The Battle of Hengyang” recovers a military struggle and a family history—and part of a nation’s past its rulers ordered its people to forget.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

In the few years before forest recovers the plot, farmers can eke something out of the land.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Netflix’s stock fell during its pursuit of Warner and hasn’t recovered since.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

So, compression garments may mainly help because they make you feel better recovered.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 14, 2026

OTTAWA—Construction intentions in Canada recovered in August with a jump in residential building permits.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 14, 2026

Mentor was released from hospital the same day but was unable to return to full training for two weeks as she recovered from experiencing heavy bleeding.

From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026

Misha startled, eyes wide, but he recovered and said, “Hello.”

From Anya and the Nightingale by Sofiya Pasternack

Xuan is recovering from leukemia treatments, has a “hole in his chest” and has fallen so ill he now permanently requires a wheelchair, Krems said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026

Such treatments could eventually benefit people who have difficulty exercising, including those recovering from major surgery, serious illness, or chronic conditions such as cancer.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 16, 2026

Oil futures settled mixed as traders weighed a weaker global demand outlook and signs of recovering Middle East crude supplies against persistent shipping risks around the Strait of Hormuz.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 15, 2026

The episode began when Talarico spent nine days off the campaign trail recovering from a bout of the flu.

From Salon ● Oct. 15, 2026

A bandage was wrapped around his curly black hair like he was recovering from a concussion.

From "The Last Olympian" by Rick Riordan

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Related Words

• bounce back
• gain
• grow
• heal
• increase
• overcome
• pick up
• rebound
• recuperate
• restore
• revive

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