recovery

American  

[ri-kuhv-uh-ree] / rɪˈkʌv ə ri /

noun

plural

recoveries

1. an act of recovering.

2. the regaining of or possibility of regaining something lost or taken away.

3. restoration or return to health from sickness.

4. restoration or return to any former and better state or condition.

5. time required for recovering.

6. something that is gained in recovering.

7. an improvement in the economy marking the end of a recession or decline.

8. the regaining of substances in usable form, as from refuse material or waste products.

9. Law. the obtaining of right to something by verdict or judgment of a court of law.

10. Football. an act or instance of recovering a fumble.

11. Fencing. the movement to the position of guard after a lunge.

12. Rowing. a return to a former position for making the next stroke.

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recovery British  

/ rɪˈkʌvərɪ /

noun

1. the act or process of recovering, esp from sickness, a shock, or a setback; recuperation

2. restoration to a former or better condition

3. the regaining of something lost

4. the extraction of useful substances from waste

5. the recovery of a space capsule after a space flight

6. law

   1. the obtaining of a right, etc, by the judgment of a court

   2. (in the US) the final judgment or verdict in a case

7. fencing a return to the position of guard after making an attack

8. swimming rowing the action of bringing the arm, oar, etc, forward for another stroke

9. golf a stroke played from the rough or a bunker to the fairway or green

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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.

Example Sentences

But the department noted that replacing all of them at once is a large-scale project that “requires a level of cross-departmental integration that has historically been difficult to achieve in disaster recovery settings.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

It boosted America’s recovery from the Great Depression while creating physical and cultural infrastructure we still rely on today.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

The 2.4-litre V8s used in 2013 weighed 130kg, including the small kinetic energy recovery systems used then and batteries.

From BBC • May 14, 2026

After a long period of falling demand for high-end goods, luxury brands were banking on a recovery this year.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026

The recovery of the artifacts in and around the wreck of the São José has, from the beginning, been challenging to say the least.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler

Related Words

• comeback
• healing
• improvement
• recuperation
• rehabilitation
• renewal
• resurgence
• revival