recovery
Americannoun
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recoveries
plural
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an act of recovering.
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the regaining of or possibility of regaining something lost or taken away.
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restoration or return to health from sickness.
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restoration or return to any former and better state or condition.
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time required for recovering.
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something that is gained in recovering.
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an improvement in the economy marking the end of a recession or decline.
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the regaining of substances in usable form, as from refuse material or waste products.
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Law. the obtaining of right to something by verdict or judgment of a court of law.
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Football. an act or instance of recovering a fumble.
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Fencing. the movement to the position of guard after a lunge.
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Rowing. a return to a former position for making the next stroke.
noun
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the act or process of recovering, esp from sickness, a shock, or a setback; recuperation
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restoration to a former or better condition
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the regaining of something lost
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the extraction of useful substances from waste
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the recovery of a space capsule after a space flight
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law
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the obtaining of a right, etc, by the judgment of a court
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(in the US) the final judgment or verdict in a case
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fencing a return to the position of guard after making an attack
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swimming rowing the action of bringing the arm, oar, etc, forward for another stroke
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golf a stroke played from the rough or a bunker to the fairway or green
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of recovery
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Anglo-French word recoverie. See recover, -y 3
Explanation
The noun recovery refers to the process of healing after an illness or injury. Your recovery from your broken leg will go quicker if you keep off the leg. Use your crutches and definitely no skiing or hopscotch! A recovery is when you save something that was lost, in danger of becoming lost, or retrieved. If something was taken from you, such as diamonds, money, or your dignity, and you get it back, you can say that you are glad for its recovery. The noun recovery also refers to a return to a natural or original state. After a devastating hurricane, an area's recovery may take many years.
Vocabulary lists containing recovery
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Economics
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"Principles of Business," Vocabulary from Chapter 2
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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:
But the recovery in Gulf flows remains shaky, and oil is still around $100 barrel, Georgieva said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026
"Her recovery is medically unprecedented. Her prognosis remains unclear but, at a minimum, we expect a long recovery."
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
German factory orders fell faster than expected in August, official data showed Tuesday, underscoring the fragility of a recovery in Europe's biggest economy.
From Barron's ● Oct. 6, 2026
After her recovery, Martell returned to the stage and continued to perform at the Pavilion Theatre in Glasgow.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
“Human youth, why should I not find a different assistant to aid in this water monster’s recovery? One who I know and trust? What makes you special, human youth?”
From "Healer of the Water Monster" by Brian Young
Lunch-hour nose jobs and low-intervention brow and arm lifts trade dramatic results for minimal anesthesia and quicker recoveries.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
The National Weather Service’s Bay Area office said in its Tuesday afternoon forecast that it expected cooler than average temperatures and a deepening marine layer to result in “improved overnight humidity recoveries through Friday.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 2, 2026
The broader market has recovered from previous downturns, although recoveries can take time.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 25, 2026
Some first-lien lenders received full recoveries, but junior debtholders received an estimated 4.9 cents on the dollar.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026
Up until now there have been preliminary stumblings, recoveries, a clutching for handholds.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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.
