recover

American  

[ri-kuhv-er] / rɪˈkʌv ər /

verb (used with object)

• recovers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• recovered,
  past participle,  past
• recovering
  present participle

1. to get back or regain (something lost or taken away).

   to recover a stolen watch.

2. to make up for or make good (loss, damage, etc., to oneself ).

3. to regain the strength, composure, balance, or the like, of (oneself ).

4. Law.

   1. to obtain by judgment in a court of law, or by legal proceedings.

      to recover damages for a wrong.

   2. to acquire title to through judicial process.

      to recover land.

5. to reclaim from a bad state, practice, etc.

6. to regain (a substance) in usable form, as from refuse material or from a waste product or by-product of manufacture; reclaim.

7. Military. to return (a weapon) to a previously held position in the manual of arms.

8. Football. to gain or regain possession of (a fumble).

   They recovered the ball on their own 20-yard line.

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verb (used without object)

• recovers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• recovered,
  past participle,  past
• recovering
  present participle

1. to regain health after being sick, wounded, or the like (often followed byfrom ).

   to recover from an illness.

   Synonyms:

   rally, recuperate, mend, heal

2. to regain a former and better state or condition.

   The city soon recovered from the effects of the earthquake.

3. to regain one's strength, composure, balance, etc.

4. Law. to obtain a favorable judgment in a suit for something.

5. Football. to gain or regain possession of a fumble.

   The Giants recovered in the end zone for a touchdown.

6. to make a recovery in fencing or rowing.

recover British  

/ rɪˈkʌvə /

verb

1. (tr) to find again or obtain the return of (something lost)

2. to regain (loss of money, position, time, etc); recoup

3. (of a person) to regain (health, spirits, composure, etc), as after illness, a setback, or a shock, etc

4. to regain (a former and usually better condition)

   industry recovered after the war

5. law

   1. (tr) to gain (something) by the judgment of a court of law

      to recover damages

   2. (intr) to succeed in a lawsuit

6. (tr) to obtain (useful substances) from waste

7. (intr) (in fencing, swimming, rowing, etc) to make a recovery

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Synonym Usage

Recover, reclaim, retrieve are to regain literally or figuratively something or someone. To recover is to obtain again what one has lost possession of: to recover a stolen jewel. To reclaim is to bring back from error or wrongdoing, or from a rude or undeveloped state: to reclaim desert land by irrigation. To retrieve is to bring back or restore, especially something to its former, prosperous state: to retrieve one's fortune.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• recoverability
  noun
• recoverer
  noun
• recoverable
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• recovering
  present
• recovered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• recover
  simple
• recovers
  simple
• have recovered
  perfect
• has recovered
  perfect
• am recovering
  progressive
• are recovering
  progressive
• is recovering
  progressive
• have been recovering
  perfect progressive
• has been recovering
  perfect progressive

Past

• recovered
  simple
• had recovered
  perfect
• was recovering
  progressive
• were recovering
  progressive
• had been recovering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will recover
  simple
• will have recovered
  perfect
• will be recovering
  progressive
• will have been recovering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of recover

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English recoveren, from Middle French recoverer, from Latin recuperāre “to regain”; see origin at recuperate

Explanation

To recover something is to get it back. After you lose your watch, you might recover it from the wastebasket. The re- in recover is a clue that this word has "again" as part of its meaning. We can only recover things that we had before. Often, this word applies to health. Someone who is sick needs to recover — when they're totally recovered, they're all better. If the stock market crashes, it needs to recover — this happens when the market is healthier and money is flowing again. It's good to recover, but it means something bad happened in the first place.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

recover recovers recovered recovering

"Their commitment made it possible to recover these works in record time," the culture ministry said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026

During this period, the body carries out many of the processes that help it recover from the day's physical and mental demands.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 12, 2026

The same investigators received requests last week to recover a dozen Ram trucks tracked to Sinaloa and seven more in Durango state.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026

Vessel utilization is likely to recover before charter rates, while increased decommissioning work could provide further support, he says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

There is another definition in which resilience means the ability to recover easily from adversity.

From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga

"We've been told that the burns on her hands and feet are improving, although even after she recovers, she may not return 100 percent to how she was before she suffered the burns."

From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026

"If she recovers - she may not fully recover - and there may be issues about her competence. I mean, we just don't know any of this," Ferrell said.

From BBC ● Oct. 4, 2026

“Capex falls, free cash flow recovers, and the issuance pipeline shrinks,” Karoui wrote in a note this past week.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026

“Courage is fear that’s said its prayers, son,” Bernadette tells John as he recovers from having his path derailed by a familiar spoiler.

From Salon ● Aug. 31, 2026

In the few years before forest recovers the plot, farmers can eke something out of the land.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Dr Gomo was found fatally injured on the street and was treated by paramedics at the scene, but never recovered.

From BBC ● Oct. 12, 2026

Among the 109 bodies earlier recovered were 52 men, 42 women and 15 children -- nine girls and six boys -- the initial statement said.

From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2026

Has Scotland's NHS recovered from the Covid pandemic?

From BBC ● Oct. 11, 2026

The criminal charge came a week after the Pasadena Humane Society announced that the rare white fowl had recovered from its injuries and was relocated to a private ranch in Northern California.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 10, 2026

“Oh,” Josie said, as calmly as if she recovered from panic attacks all the time.

From "The School for Whatnots" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

Large rental agencies often don’t bother recovering vehicles that disappear across the border, and consider the loss the cost of doing business, Carter said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 11, 2026

Ric Gillespie, who specialises in recovering historic aircraft wrecks, told news agency Reuters that the object looked like a tree that had fallen from the atoll into the nearby water.

From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026

The threat was particularly worrying in the mountains of North Carolina, where communities are still recovering from Hurricane Helene of 2024.

From Barron's ● Oct. 10, 2026

Gulf production shut-ins against recovering Middle East crude supplies.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

We walk to the part of the hospital where Erin’s recovering and tell the woman behind the desk that we’re here to see my girlfriend.

From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick

Related Words

• bounce back
• gain
• grow
• heal
• increase
• overcome
• pick up
• rebound
• recuperate
• restore
• revive