recovery

American  

[ri-kuhv-uh-ree] / rɪˈkʌv ə ri /

noun

plural

recoveries

1. an act of recovering.

2. the regaining of or possibility of regaining something lost or taken away.

3. restoration or return to health from sickness.

4. restoration or return to any former and better state or condition.

5. time required for recovering.

6. something that is gained in recovering.

7. an improvement in the economy marking the end of a recession or decline.

8. the regaining of substances in usable form, as from refuse material or waste products.

9. Law. the obtaining of right to something by verdict or judgment of a court of law.

10. Football. an act or instance of recovering a fumble.

11. Fencing. the movement to the position of guard after a lunge.

12. Rowing. a return to a former position for making the next stroke.

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recovery British  

/ rɪˈkʌvərɪ /

noun

1. the act or process of recovering, esp from sickness, a shock, or a setback; recuperation

2. restoration to a former or better condition

3. the regaining of something lost

4. the extraction of useful substances from waste

5. the recovery of a space capsule after a space flight

6. law

   1. the obtaining of a right, etc, by the judgment of a court

   2. (in the US) the final judgment or verdict in a case

7. fencing a return to the position of guard after making an attack

8. swimming rowing the action of bringing the arm, oar, etc, forward for another stroke

9. golf a stroke played from the rough or a bunker to the fairway or green

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Etymology

Origin of recovery

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Anglo-French word recoverie. See recover, -y ³

Explanation

The noun recovery refers to the process of healing after an illness or injury. Your recovery from your broken leg will go quicker if you keep off the leg. Use your crutches and definitely no skiing or hopscotch! A recovery is when you save something that was lost, in danger of becoming lost, or retrieved. If something was taken from you, such as diamonds, money, or your dignity, and you get it back, you can say that you are glad for its recovery. The noun recovery also refers to a return to a natural or original state. After a devastating hurricane, an area's recovery may take many years.

Example Sentences

The 40-year-old produced a magnificent clearance of 140 in frame 11 to start his recovery, following that with a break of 109 in frame 12.

From BBC • Apr. 19, 2026

So the central bank bought long-term Treasurys and mortgage-backed securities to help get interest rates down and spark a recovery.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 18, 2026

"Following the collision between several vehicles, race control immediately halted the race to allow for extensive recovery and rescue operations," the race organiser said in a statement.

From BBC • Apr. 18, 2026

“Anyone who’s counting for a quick recovery, even if there is a total end of hostilities, will need to recalculate that.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 17, 2026

On July 17, the president's four doctors informed Corkhill that, though they anticipated full recovery, they couldn't absolutely rule out death.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

Related Words

• comeback
• healing
• improvement
• recuperation
• rehabilitation
• renewal
• resurgence
• revival