recoup
Americanverb (used with object)
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to get back the equivalent of.
to recoup one's losses by a lucky investment.
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to regain or recover.
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to reimburse or indemnify; pay back.
to recoup a person for expenses.
- Synonyms:
- remunerate, recompense
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Law. to withhold (a portion of something due), having some rightful claim to do so.
verb (used without object)
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to get back an equivalent, as of something lost.
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Law. (of a defendant in a lawsuit) to plead that one is owed, in the same matter, an amount by the plaintiff which applies against the payment of one’s own debt to the plaintiff.
noun
verb
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to regain or make good (a financial or other loss)
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(tr) to reimburse or compensate (someone), as for a loss
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law to keep back (something due), having rightful claim to do so; withhold; deduct
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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recoupsimple
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recoupssimple
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have recoupedperfect
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has recoupedperfect
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am recoupingprogressive
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are recoupingprogressive
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is recoupingprogressive
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have been recoupingperfect progressive
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has been recoupingperfect progressive
Past
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recoupedsimple
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had recoupedperfect
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was recoupingprogressive
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were recoupingprogressive
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had been recoupingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of recoup
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Middle French recouper “to cut back, cut again,” equivalent to re- re- ( def. ) + couper “to cut”; see coup 1 ( def. )
Explanation
To recoup is a kind of recovery: If you lost some money but then made that amount back, you recouped your loss. When you recuperate, you get better after being sick. And when you recoup something, you get better or bounce back after a loss. Businesses that lose money try to recoup it by throwing a sale or cutting their budget. If a runner falls behind in a race but then speeds up to the front of the pack, he's recouped his lead. In some cases this word also means "to reimburse."
Vocabulary lists containing recoup
The Joy Luck Club
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The Distance Between Us
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The Odyssey
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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.
See Examples For:
Many Gulf producers are now racing to recoup lost revenue, potentially setting the stage for a battle over market share as the war redraws the region’s energy map.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 5, 2026
Szabo acknowledged that under that scenario, the city would be far less likely to recoup all of its security costs if the federal government failed to provide full reimbursement.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 27, 2026
In the comments of these loss posts, redditors would often joke about working at Wendy’s to recoup losses, which sometimes reach five- or six-figure sums.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026
He sued the station's owner ARN Media for wrongful termination and sought to recoup A$85m.
From BBC ● Jun. 17, 2026
After a few weeks, to recoup his losses, he went up to ten bucks.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
But even if it recoups it, this may not suffice to persuade foreigners to buy German cars, medical equipment or tunnel-boring machines they no longer need.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
The RSN recoups that by charging cable distributors a licensing amount to carry their channel in as many places as possible.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 31, 2023
Soto said as he stepped through his mud-streaked living room to his patio, adding that he plans to rebuild, no matter what he recoups from insurance policies.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2022
Giving them housing, on the other hand, quickly recoups most of the costs through the benefits of improved health and employment.
From New York Times ● Nov. 12, 2021
Afterwards a small assessment is levied on the villagers, of a 'pice' or two 'pice' each, about a halfpenny of our money, and which recoups the putwarree for his outlay.
From Sport and Work on the Nepaul Frontier Twelve Years Sporting Reminiscences of an Indigo Planter by Inglis, James
The CAA said allowing these costs to be recouped will result in the maximum airport charge per passenger increasing by around 15 pence in 2028, rising to an estimated 30 pence in the following years.
From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026
It is a noble mission; movie theaters need all the help they can get and heading into its second weekend, “The Odyssey” has already more than recouped its $250 million production budget.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 24, 2026
An earlier deal said Canada, which paid for the bridge, would split the revenue with Michigan only after it had recouped the costs.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
One way in which consumers could be compensated is by businesses disbursing any funds recouped from Customs and Border Protection to those affected, though few have announced plans to do so.
From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026
He had recouped himself for the overcharge on the cup of tea.
From Literary Tours in The Highlands and Islands of Scotland by Holmes, Daniel Turner
On Thursday, he said the underlying agreement on recouping the toll revenues between Canada and the state of Michigan remains in place.
From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026
Nasdaq futures rose 0.4%, recouping some of the last session’s losses.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
But that’s also what gives the movie its charm, especially considering it’s a big-budget studio production that never had a shot at recouping the studio’s investment, even if it were successful.
From Salon ● Jun. 10, 2026
Samsung's stock notched its largest daily percentage gain in more than 17 years-- rising 11%--while SK Hynix added 9.3%, more than recouping Monday's losses.
From MarketWatch ● Feb. 3, 2026
To commence with, you hold a number of mortgages on land in this vicinity, from which, after recouping yourself for the loan, you are still drawing what I venture to call extortionate interest.
From The Mistress of Bonaventure by Bindloss, Harold
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
