recharge

American  

[ree-chahrj, ree-chahrj, ree-chahrj] / riˈtʃɑrdʒ, riˈtʃɑrdʒ, ˈriˌtʃɑrdʒ /

verb (used with object)

• recharges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• recharged,
  past participle,  past
• recharging
  present participle

1. to charge again with electricity.

2. Informal. to refresh or restore; revitalize.

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verb (used without object)

• recharges,
  present (3rd person singular)
• recharged,
  past participle,  past
• recharging
  present participle

1. to make a new charge, especially to attack again.

2. Informal. to revive or restore energy, stamina, enthusiasm, etc.

noun

• recharges
  plural

1. an act or instance of recharging.

2. Geology. the processes by which groundwater is absorbed into the zone of saturation.

recharge British  

/ riːˈtʃɑːdʒ /

verb

1. to cause (an accumulator, capacitor, etc) to take up and store electricity again

2. to revive or renew (one's energies) (esp in recharge one's batteries )

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• recharger
  noun
• rechargeable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• recharges
  plural

Participles

• recharging
  present
• recharged
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• recharge
  simple
• recharges
  simple
• have recharged
  perfect
• has recharged
  perfect
• am recharging
  progressive
• are recharging
  progressive
• is recharging
  progressive
• have been recharging
  perfect progressive
• has been recharging
  perfect progressive

Past

• recharged
  simple
• had recharged
  perfect
• was recharging
  progressive
• were recharging
  progressive
• had been recharging
  perfect progressive

Future

• will recharge
  simple
• will have recharged
  perfect
• will be recharging
  progressive
• will have been recharging
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of recharge

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English: “to reload (a vessel)”; see re-, charge

Explanation

When you recharge something, you bring it back to life or reenergize it. You might charge your cell phone in the morning and then recharge it later in the day. If you can charge your electronics (or provide them with electrical energy), you can also recharge them when that energy is depleted. In addition to your camera battery and laptop, sometimes you need to recharge yourself, or take a break so you can become energized again. Less commonly, recharge is used to mean "refill a glass," and the original meaning, in the fifteenth century, was "to reload a vessel."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

recharge recharges recharged recharging

If he somehow finds a miraculous recharge for his ring, he will use his superpower to foment further revenge and retribution.

From Salon ● Oct. 2, 2026

Over the last several years, work crews there have been restoring natural floodplains along rivers and creeks, building recharge basins, and routing floodwater to farm fields where it can soak into the land.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

The max charging rate of 150 kW pencils out to a 10%-80% recharge in 28 minutes, under ideal conditions.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

So that people can understand why the drivers have been upset this year, what is it about these hybrid engines, and the need to recharge the batteries, that detracts from the best drivers' abilities?

From BBC ● Sep. 9, 2026

Somewhere I can relax while the batteries recharge; somewhere I can lie down comfortably while sleeping.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

That includes “extended range electric vehicles,” battery-powered cars that have an onboard generator, running on gas, that recharges batteries on the fly.

From Barron's ● Dec. 15, 2025

It runs 15-30 minutes on a full battery, depending on the speed, and recharges in 45 minutes to about 3 hours, depending on your charger.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 2, 2025

Regenerative braking in EVs, which recharges the battery, does not involve friction.

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2025

“You’re going to have more short-term runoff leading to more floods and less snowpack that recharges the groundwater and the groundwater is ultimately what helps maintain stream flows.”

From Seattle Times ● Jun. 28, 2023

The man who enjoys his work requires less time for recreation and exercise, for his enjoyment recharges the storage battery of energy.

From Increasing Human Efficiency in Business, a contribution to the psychology of business by Walter Dill Scott

This year, drought has not developed as quickly because heavy rainfall recharged our aquifers, rivers and reservoirs during a very wet autumn and winter.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

"It stores sunlight, and it can be recharged."

From Science Daily ● May 15, 2026

In nine minutes, it can be almost fully recharged.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 17, 2026

With the battery emptying itself within about 11 seconds of full power, it is emptying and being recharged constantly around a lap.

From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026

Although Geyer’s brief rest in Philadelphia had recharged his hopes, he now found them “fast dwindling away.”

From "The Devil in the White City" by Erik Larson

Russell lost that place because he hit the harvest limit early, which meant he was not recharging into the chicane so had less energy for the restart.

From BBC ● Mar. 29, 2026

Other agencies are recharging aquifers at dozens of sites across California and are building more facilities to replenish groundwater.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 21, 2026

At Schaeffler, Digit labors alone inside a Plexiglas cage, moving baskets for four hours, recharging over lunch, then going again for another four hours.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 15, 2026

The distance that electric trucks can travel without recharging can be drastically cut when towing heavy loads or operating in less ideal conditions, such as cold weather.

From MarketWatch ● Nov. 29, 2025

The second battery still had a little juice left, but I can't just run it down all the way before I stop; remember, I need life support while recharging.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir

Related Words

• refresh
• regenerate
• rejuvenate