recovery

American  

[ri-kuhv-uh-ree] / rɪˈkʌv ə ri /

noun

recoveries plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• recoveries
  plural

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

See Examples For:

recovery recoveries

Confidence among firms picked up a little this month, though the roller-coaster ride of oil prices in recent weeks suggested the recovery could be fragile.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026

After three replacement surgeries, she said, "I assumed my difficulty walking was simply an unfortunate and rather ironic part of the recovery process."

From Barron's ● Jul. 27, 2026

After completing medical evaluations at the landing site, the crew members will travel by helicopter to Karaganda, Kazakhstan, where recovery teams are stationed.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 27, 2026

Smith’s recent recovery progress, since shutting down baseball activities and receiving an injection to address the discomfort and inflammation, has been encouraging enough for the team to feel confident in his return.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 27, 2026

I’ve heard what the adults said as they spoke across my prone body, talking about diagnostic tests and next steps and recovery plans.

From "The Sea in Winter" by Christine Day

By examining how koalas responded to earlier population crashes and recoveries, scientists may be able to develop better conservation strategies for protecting the species today.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 17, 2026

A handful of California species recoveries have been championed as success stories under the Endangered Species Act, including southern sea otters, peregrine falcons, humpback whales, bald eagles and green sea turtles.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 11, 2026

Lukodu is optimistic that the recoveries will help build trust in the healthcare system as his hospital has been a target of violence connected to misinformation.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026

“Compared with our in-house estimates, slightly lower grades and recoveries are more than offset by a higher mill throughput, gold production rates and lower capital costs,” Bell Potter says.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 12, 2026

Later recoveries of banded birds showed that these Florida-born eagles range northward along the coast into Canada as far as Prince Edward Island, although they had previously been considered nonmigratory.

From "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson

Related Words

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