recoverable

American  

[ri-kuhv-er-uh-buhl] / rɪˈkʌv ər ə bəl /

adjective

1. able to recover or be recovered.

   a patient now believed to be recoverable; recoverable losses on his investments.

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Other Word Forms

• nonrecoverable adjective
• recoverability noun
• recoverableness noun
• unrecoverable adjective

Etymology

Origin of recoverable

late Middle English word dating back to 1425–75; recover, -able

Explanation

If something is recoverable, you can get it back. If you drop your eyeglasses over the side of the boat, but the water is crystal clear and somebody is willing to dive for them, they may be recoverable. Economists use the term “recoverable resources” to refer to oil, gas, and coal that can be extracted from the earth economically. If you've just insulated the walls of your house and replaced the old, drafty windows with new energy-efficient ones, some of your costs may be recoverable through savings on your heating bills and tax refunds for energy efficiency. If you delete something by mistake on your computer, you'll be very relieved if you find it's recoverable.

Example Sentences

These materials are often considered waste, but they may still contain valuable elements that were not economically recoverable at the time.

From Science Daily • Apr. 16, 2026

She said: "Based on the fireball trajectory, the event occurred over the North Sea so, sadly, we do not expect any recoverable meteorites."

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

The Norwegian energy major said Monday that according to preliminary estimates the discovery holds between 25 million and 89 million barrels of recoverable oil equivalents.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

Investors are raising questions about how much oil Venezuela really has, and whether its recoverable reserves could be quickly and profitably extracted.

From Barron's • Jan. 7, 2026

Problem may be recoverable with remote update of Pathfinder.

From "The Martian" by Andy Weir