reclaim
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
noun
verb
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to claim back
to reclaim baggage
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to convert (desert, marsh, waste ground, etc) into land suitable for growing crops
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to recover (useful substances) from waste products
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to convert (someone) from sin, folly, vice, etc
-
falconry to render (a hawk or falcon) tame
noun
Related Words
See recover.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of reclaim
First recorded in 1250–1300; (verb) Middle English recla(i)men, from Old French reclamer (tonic stem reclaim- ), from Latin reclāmāre “to cry out against,” equivalent to re- + clāmāre “to claim”; (noun) Middle English reclaim(e), from Old French reclaim, reclam, derivative of reclamer ; see re-, claim
Explanation
To reclaim something is to get it back. If a divorced couple remarries, they reclaim their marriage. To claim is to declare or take ownership of something. To reclaim is to retake something lost. An injured quarterback must reclaim the starting position from his replacement. Two countries fighting over territory may lose and reclaim an area of land. A bank can reclaim a house if you don't make mortgage payments. Reclaim comes from the Old French reclamer, "to call back," which is rooted in the Latin word reclamare, "cry out against, or appeal."
Vocabulary lists containing reclaim
Power Prefix: re-
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The Boy in the Striped Pajamas
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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
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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.
The last time Moore attended the fest was for the Oscar-winning body horror “The Substance,” where she stars as an aging actress desperate to reclaim her youth.
From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2026
Some former employees said there is a path for Nike to reclaim its appeal in China if it releases more competitive products targeted at niche audiences.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 12, 2026
The club is performing well below expectations and the pressure, therefore, on Mourinho to reclaim domestic and European dominance will be immense.
From BBC • May 12, 2026
The stock, however, just reclaimed the $400 level, and could be set to reclaim some of those losses.
From Barron's • May 8, 2026
It’ll then take them weeks to reclaim their lost avatar and account.
From "Warcross" by Marie Lu
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.
