recuperate
Americanverb (used without object)
-
recuperates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
recuperated,
past participle, past
-
recuperating
present participle
verb (used with object)
-
recuperates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
recuperated,
past participle, past
-
recuperating
present participle
verb
-
(intr) to recover from illness or exhaustion
-
to recover (losses of money, etc)
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
recuperatesimple
-
recuperatessimple
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have recuperatedperfect
-
has recuperatedperfect
-
am recuperatingprogressive
-
are recuperatingprogressive
-
is recuperatingprogressive
-
have been recuperatingperfect progressive
-
has been recuperatingperfect progressive
Past
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recuperatedsimple
-
had recuperatedperfect
-
was recuperatingprogressive
-
were recuperatingprogressive
-
had been recuperatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of recuperate
First recorded in 1535–45; from Latin recuperātus (past participle of recuperāre, variant of reciperāre “to recover”), equivalent to re- re- + -ciper-, combining form of unattested caper- (obscure derivative of capere “to take”) + -ātus -ate 1
Explanation
To recuperate is to get something back that you have lost — could be good health, or money lost in a bad investment. When you recuperate, you heal and recover. Recuperate comes from the Latin word recuperare “to take back,” so when you recuperate you gain something back that was yours before — health or money. Recuperate is usually something people do after an illness. If you break your knee playing rugby in college, you might go home to recuperate. If you don't want to sound fancy, just say you're recovering. It also means to get money back, so you can also try to recuperate your losses by staying in the poker game.
Vocabulary lists containing recuperate
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Essential Academic Vocabulary for Middle School Students, List 5
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Maus I: My Father Bleeds History
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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:
Last month, he was moved to house arrest to recuperate after being hospitalized with bronchopneumonia.
From Barron's ● Apr. 30, 2026
She is a business owner and author who suffers with fatigue due to Hashimoto's disease and fibromyalgia, so says screen time for her children allows her to rest and recuperate.
From BBC ● Mar. 27, 2026
ABU DHABI—Changpeng Zhao, crypto’s richest man, flew home from a California jail a year ago to recuperate in a secluded neighborhood of $30 million villas on a white-sand island here.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 30, 2025
Soccer’s technical, medical and high-performance staffs, he choose to rest and recuperate during the final summer before the World Cup.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 7, 2025
Grandfather would recuperate at home with Mother, and I could care for them both.
From "Fever 1793" by Laurie Halse Anderson
Once she recuperates, she plans to return to part-time consulting to keep her mind active and feel productive.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 31, 2026
The Player Kings X account posted the show would continue with Semark "while Ian McKellen recuperates following his fall", adding: "We look forward to Ian returning to the production."
From BBC ● Jun. 20, 2024
Jay Monahan, the commissioner of the PGA Tour, will be temporarily stepping away from day-to-day duties as he recuperates from an unspecified medical situation.
From New York Times ● Jun. 14, 2023
Top Senate Democrat Chuck Schumer said he would ask the chamber this week to allow another Democratic senator to temporarily serve on the Judiciary Committee while she recuperates.
From Reuters ● Apr. 18, 2023
It is marvellous how easily one recuperates in the open air.
From A Tramp's Sketches by Graham, Stephen
In those days, basketball was the go-to sport for wheelchair users and had been suggested to Parks while he recuperated in hospital but he had other ideas.
From BBC ● Jul. 7, 2026
After Coronado recuperated, he marched east until the Spaniards encountered 12 Tiwa pueblos near present-day Albuquerque, N.M.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 28, 2026
The Americans turned the screw in the third quarter as Auston Matthews recuperated a loose puck and set up Jake Guentzel, who blasted past Sogaard.
From Barron's ● Feb. 14, 2026
He 2021 arrest came upon his return to Moscow from Germany where he recuperated from nerve agent poisoning that he blamed on the Kremlin.
From Washington Times ● Oct. 13, 2023
The week’s rest had recuperated the dogs and put them in thorough trim.
From "The Call of the Wild" by Jack London
Both Pinto and a police officer testified about the lack of medical equipment in the rented residence where Maradona was recuperating.
From Barron's ● Apr. 23, 2026
Barrett said losing both players in quick succession was a major blow and he felt disappointment for Cameron, who spent much of last season recuperating from a serious knee injury to his other leg.
From Barron's ● Feb. 21, 2026
Indiana Congressman Jim Baird was recuperating and "expected to make a full recovery", according to a statement posted to social media.
From BBC ● Jan. 6, 2026
While he was recuperating, Lynne continued to campaign on his behalf - and Cheney was returned with an impressive 59% of the vote.
From BBC ● Nov. 4, 2025
At that session of the NEC I was elected deputy president of the organization while Alfred Nzo, the organization’s secretary-general, was named acting president while Oliver was recuperating.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
