Synonyms

receive

American

[ri-seev] / rɪˈsiv /

verb (used with object)

to take into one's possession (something offered or delivered).

to receive many gifts.

Antonyms:

give
to have (something) bestowed, conferred, etc..

to receive an honorary degree.
to have delivered or brought to one.

to receive a letter.
to get or be informed of.

to receive instructions;
to receive news.
to be burdened with; sustain.

to receive a heavy load.
to hold, bear, or contain.

The nut receives a bolt and a washer.
The plaster receives the impression of the mold.
to take into the mind; apprehend mentally.

to receive an idea.
to accept from another by hearing or listening.

A priest received his confession.
to meet with; experience.

to receive attention.
to suffer the injury of.

He received a terrific blow on the forehead.
to be at home to (visitors).

They received their neighbors on Sunday.

Synonyms:

welcome, entertain, admit
to greet or welcome (guests, visitors, etc.) upon arriving.

They received us at the front door.
to admit (a person) to a place.

The butler received him and asked him to wait in the drawing room.
to admit into an organization, membership, etc..

to receive someone into the group.
to accept as authoritative, valid, true, or approved.

a principle universally received.
to react to in the manner specified.

to receive a proposal with contempt;
She received the job offer with joy.

verb (used without object)

to receive something.
to receive visitors or guests.
Radio. to convert incoming electromagnetic waves into the original signal.
to receive the Eucharist.

He receives every Sunday.

receive British

/ rɪˈsiːv /

verb

to take (something offered) into one's hand or possession
to have (an honour, blessing, etc) bestowed
to accept delivery or transmission of (a letter, telephone call, etc)
to be informed of (news or information)
to hear and consent to or acknowledge (an oath, confession, etc)
(of a vessel or container) to take or hold (a substance, commodity, or certain amount)
to support or sustain (the weight of something); bear
to apprehend or perceive (ideas, etc)
to experience, undergo, or meet with

to receive a crack on the skull
(also intr) to be at home to (visitors)
to greet or welcome (visitors or guests), esp in formal style
to admit (a person) to a place, society, condition, etc

he was received into the priesthood
to accept or acknowledge (a precept or principle) as true or valid
to convert (incoming radio signals) into sounds, pictures, etc, by means of a receiver
(also intr) tennis to play at the other end from the server; be required to return (service)
(also intr) to partake of (the Christian Eucharist)
(intr) to buy and sell stolen goods

"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

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

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

Conjugated Forms

Present

Past

Future

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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing receive

American Football, 1st Quarter

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

Commonly Misspelled Words, List 2

Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!

Beowulf vocabulary

Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!

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:

receive receives received receiving

However, “the Fed will receive another round of CPI and employment data before its September meeting,” the strategists add.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

The researchers believe the results of the three studies could eventually lead to changes in heart failure guidelines, potentially allowing many more patients to receive digoxin.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026

"Our study found that up to one in five did not receive menstrual education in school until after they had started menstruating," she said.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

As my chosen candidate, Verity Grimshaw, I start off strong, managing to survive a crisis in which thousands of A-level students receive the wrong grades.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

I am thinking about the sound that I do not believe is the wind when I receive news from the command desk about Fly.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

The original Colossus campus now receives grid power, estimated around 300 megawatts, and has almost 200 megawatts of turbines on site, according to satellite photos from May analyzed by Cleanview.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026

Standard procedure mandates that anyone suspected of smoke inhalation receives a bronchoscopic examination of their airways.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

Each bride receives a dowry of 100,000 naira, while a further 100,000 naira is provided as start-up capital to encourage small-scale entrepreneurship and help the couple achieve financial self-reliance after marriage.

From BBC ● Aug. 9, 2026

Rather than trying to control which molecule receives an electron through conventional chemical preferences, the researchers developed a catalyst that releases the electron directly into the surrounding solution.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 9, 2026

She receives no reply, so she drops an acorn directly on her brother’s head.

From "The Night Circus" by Erin Morgenstern

But last month, the "impossible" happened on Lucy's 30th birthday - they received a call from the vet saying Charlie had been found.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

Colombia has received millions of dollars in aid from countries like the United States and organizations like the World Bank, but rebuilding will take time.

From Barron's ● Aug. 17, 2026

Earlier that month, Seeker 8 had received two million barrels of Iranian crude from another vessel, which had picked up its cargo at Iran’s Kharg Island in December, according to Kpler.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026

It’s unclear exactly where all the money went, but the Wall Street Journal reported billions were passed through a third party before being received by entities tied to Walter or his TWG Global holding company.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

Softly, she murmurs, “I received a letter from my sisters the other day with some sad news. My beloved mother, my Mima, has left the world. She died in Turkey.”

From "Across So Many Seas" by Ruth Behar

In fact, Citizens Advice, a network of local charities that offers free confidential advice, including on finances, said more paying parents ask it for help than receiving parents.

From BBC ● Aug. 17, 2026

Even in the neighborhoods that are receiving investment, continued progress could become more difficult.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

Earlier research had already suggested that patients given low doses of digoxin did considerably better than those receiving higher doses.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 16, 2026

After receiving federal grand jury subpoenas in February, Delaware Life and Clear Spring Life and Annuity conducted internal investigations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 16, 2026

I’m used to receiving texts and emails and DMs, not legitimate mail.

From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller

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