Synonyms

convalesce

American

[kon-vuh-les] / ˌkɒn vəˈlɛs /

verb (used without object)

convalesced, convalescing

to recover health and strength after illness; make progress toward recovery of health.

convalesce British

/ ˌkɒnvəˈlɛs /

verb

(intr) to recover from illness, injury, or the aftereffects of a surgical operation, esp by resting

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of convalesce

1475–85; < Latin convalēscere to grow fully strong, equivalent to con- con- + valēscere to grow strong ( val ( ēre ) to be well + -escere -esce )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

To convalesce, they stay in this compound, and exercise by walking around its well-ordered clusters of three-story buildings and a synthetic turf avenue with a playground and soccer field.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2024

A volunteer with the group drove the bird to the Tri-State Bird Rescue in Delaware, where the owl continues to convalesce and regain the strength to fly regularly.

From Washington Times • Oct. 24, 2023

“Being at home, being in this environment, being able to convalesce and get my mind together, it was good.”

From Seattle Times • Aug. 24, 2023

Krige plays Veronica Ghent, an actress who just had a double mastectomy and wants to convalesce at a rustic retreat in the Scottish Highlands.

From Salon • Jul. 14, 2022

Ginny Koong’s room was empty because she was downstairs with Dickie in his room, the two of them now recovered enough to convalesce together.

From "Not Nothing" by Gayle Forman

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023