recite
Americanverb (used with object)
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recites,
present (3rd person singular)
-
recited,
past participle, past
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reciting
present participle
verb (used without object)
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recites,
present (3rd person singular)
-
recited,
past participle, past
-
reciting
present participle
-
to recite a lesson or part of a lesson for a teacher.
-
to recite or repeat something from memory.
verb
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to repeat (a poem, passage, etc) aloud from memory before an audience, teacher, etc
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(tr) to give a detailed account of
-
(tr) to enumerate (examples, etc)
Synonym Usage
See relate.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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reciternoun
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prereciteverb (used with object)
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recitableadjective
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unrecitedadjective
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well-recitedadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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recitesimple
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recitessimple
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have recitedperfect
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has recitedperfect
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am recitingprogressive
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are recitingprogressive
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is recitingprogressive
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have been recitingperfect progressive
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has been recitingperfect progressive
Past
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recitedsimple
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had recitedperfect
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was recitingprogressive
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were recitingprogressive
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had been recitingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of recite
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English reciten, from Latin recitāre “to read aloud,” equivalent to re- + citāre “to summon”; see origin at re-, cite 1
Explanation
You are showing off your ability to recite, or repeat aloud from memory, when you say the entire text of "The Gettysburg Address" or name all the past winners of your town’s asparagus eating contest. Recite entered the English language as a legal term but is now more often used in the realms of education, literature, and religion. Children in school may be assigned a famous poem to recite in front of the class or be tested on how well they can recite their multiplication tables. In many religious traditions, being able to recite passages of sacred texts is an important part of practicing the religion.
Vocabulary lists containing recite
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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:
The Vatican said that Pope Leo "will leave the hospital in the early afternoon and return to the Vatican. Tomorrow he will recite the Angelus prayer from the window of the papal apartment".
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
He said the book was influenced by classics, adding: "One of the only poems I can recite is The Owl and the Pussycat and I suppose there's a similar metre to that."
From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026
He could also recite statistics on the percentage of Iran’s missiles, ships, airplanes, etc., we’ve destroyed in the six-month war.
From Slate ● Sep. 4, 2026
As soon as this column is published, private-fund managers will start working on feel-good scripts that advisers can recite to reassure clients.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 14, 2026
I feel so proud as I recite the part I wrote all by myself.
From "Betty Before X" by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson
On the track, Parton recites that "heartbreak sounds the same in every language".
From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026
Bare still reflexively recites stock tickers out loud when companies are mentioned.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 16, 2026
To make sure he’s prepared, Simpson recites and listens to his play calls.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 22, 2026
We know this because Charles Dance recites Michelangelo’s snidest journal passages throughout, bringing a welcome pettiness to an otherwise staid chapter of art history.
From Salon ● May 16, 2026
She carefully takes it in her right hand and sweeps it over my head while she recites a quiet prayer asking God to remove the evil eye and keep me under his protection.
From "Love, Hate & Other Filters" by Samira Ahmed
Machchhar told Modi that during the ordeal, he had recited a Hindu devotional prayer dedicated to the deity Hanuman.
From Barron's ● Oct. 2, 2026
Some recited Whanki's essays, while a local shaman performed a "healing ritual".
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
As Ms. Newsome removed the Confederate flag and carried it down the pole, she recited Psalm 27 and the Lord’s Prayer.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026
Nelson Mandela recited it in prison to give himself heart.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 22, 2026
“The continuation of this threat,” Troyanovsky recited in a slow, steady voice, “would surely lead to an intensification of the Cuban crisis and a grave risk to the peace of the world.”
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
The 1974 concept album My Tennessee Mountain Home, meanwhile, is a musical autobiography that opens with Parton reciting the first letter she wrote home after moving to Nashville as a teenager.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
That day, around 2,000 couples tied the knot in a mass religious ceremony, wearing the same dresses and suits, reciting their vows in unison.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 27, 2026
Students reciting Annapolis’ “Midshipman Ethos” say they’re “united by our oath to defend the Constitution,” not their background.
From Slate ● Jun. 24, 2026
Trump showed Xi videos of his granddaughter singing in Mandarin and reciting classical Chinese poetry, to which Xi responded that the girl deserved an "A+".
From Barron's ● May 15, 2026
"Not just one name. I was reciting the names of my ancestors, going back ten generations."
From "Born Behind Bars" by Padma Venkatraman
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