receive
Americanverb (used with object)
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to take into one's possession (something offered or delivered).
to receive many gifts.
- Antonyms:
- give
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to have (something) bestowed, conferred, etc..
to receive an honorary degree.
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to have delivered or brought to one.
to receive a letter.
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to get or be informed of.
to receive instructions;
to receive news.
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to be burdened with; sustain.
to receive a heavy load.
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to hold, bear, or contain.
The nut receives a bolt and a washer.
The plaster receives the impression of the mold.
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to take into the mind; apprehend mentally.
to receive an idea.
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to accept from another by hearing or listening.
A priest received his confession.
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to meet with; experience.
to receive attention.
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to suffer the injury of.
He received a terrific blow on the forehead.
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to be at home to (visitors).
They received their neighbors on Sunday.
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to greet or welcome (guests, visitors, etc.) upon arriving.
They received us at the front door.
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to admit (a person) to a place.
The butler received him and asked him to wait in the drawing room.
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to admit into an organization, membership, etc..
to receive someone into the group.
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to accept as authoritative, valid, true, or approved.
a principle universally received.
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to react to in the manner specified.
to receive a proposal with contempt;
She received the job offer with joy.
verb (used without object)
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to receive something.
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to receive visitors or guests.
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Radio. to convert incoming electromagnetic waves into the original signal.
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to receive the Eucharist.
He receives every Sunday.
verb
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to take (something offered) into one's hand or possession
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to have (an honour, blessing, etc) bestowed
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to accept delivery or transmission of (a letter, telephone call, etc)
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to be informed of (news or information)
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to hear and consent to or acknowledge (an oath, confession, etc)
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(of a vessel or container) to take or hold (a substance, commodity, or certain amount)
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to support or sustain (the weight of something); bear
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to apprehend or perceive (ideas, etc)
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to experience, undergo, or meet with
to receive a crack on the skull
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(also intr) to be at home to (visitors)
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to greet or welcome (visitors or guests), esp in formal style
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to admit (a person) to a place, society, condition, etc
he was received into the priesthood
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to accept or acknowledge (a precept or principle) as true or valid
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to convert (incoming radio signals) into sounds, pictures, etc, by means of a receiver
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(also intr) tennis to play at the other end from the server; be required to return (service)
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(also intr) to partake of (the Christian Eucharist)
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(intr) to buy and sell stolen goods
Usage
Spelling tips for receive The word receive is hard to spell for two reasons. First, it can be hard to remember if the [ s] sound is spelled with a c or an s. Second, the order of the middle vowels can be tricky. Is it ei or ie? How to spell receive: When you receive something you want to C (see) it. This reminds you that it is spelled with a c, not an s. To remember the order of the vowels, keep in mind the classic mnemonic device: I before E except after C. Since receive is spelled with a C, the E goes before the I.
Other Word Forms
- interreceive verb (used with object)
- nonreceiving adjective
- prereceive verb (used with object)
- unreceiving adjective
Etymology
Origin of receive
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English receven, from Old North French receivre, from Latin recipere, equivalent to re- re- + -cipere, combining form of capere “to take”
Explanation
Receive means to get or accept. On your birthday you might receive many presents. If you have a huge formal party that night, you'll stand in a receiving line, where you'll greet or receive your guests. Unless you're receiving bad news or a stiff reprimand, receive can be pretty great. If one of your gifts is a trip to a spa, you might receive the news with pleasure, and then, when you go to the spa, receive several treatments. And remember, receive is one of those words that you have to say, "I before E, except after C, or when sounding like A, as in neighbor or weigh," before knowing how to spell it.
Vocabulary lists containing receive
American Football, 1st Quarter
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Commonly Misspelled Words, List 2
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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.
Doncic went to Spain to receive specialized treatment with hopes of speeding up his recovery and rejoined the team on the sideline last Saturday in time for Game 1.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
Under a potential plan being discussed, the US government would make a loan to Spirit and receive warrants to take a large stake in the carrier, the Wall Street Journal reported.
From Barron's • Apr. 24, 2026
By allowing colleagues to send and receive information on their own schedules, it restructured the workday and made the physical location of an office negotiable.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
Microbial invasions often receive far less attention than invasive plants, insects, or animals, yet they can significantly alter ecosystems.
From Science Daily • Apr. 24, 2026
“But—but I did not even receive the notes,” Penelope stammered.
From "The Interrupted Tale" by Maryrose Wood
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.
