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Synonyms

recur

American  
[ri-kur] / rɪˈkɜr /

verb (used without object)

recurred, recurring
  1. to occur again, as an event, experience, etc.

  2. to return to the mind.

    The idea kept recurring.

  3. to come up again for consideration, as a question.

  4. to have recourse.


recur British  
/ rɪˈkɜː /

verb

  1. to happen again, esp at regular intervals

  2. (of a thought, idea, etc) to come back to the mind

  3. (of a problem, etc) to come up again

  4. maths (of a digit or group of digits) to be repeated an infinite number of times at the end of a decimal fraction

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Origin of recur

1610–20; earlier: to recede < Latin recurrere to run back, equivalent to re- re- + currere to run

Explanation

Have you ever had the same crazy dream night after night? If so, you know that dreams can recur, meaning they repeat, or happen again. The verb recur is used to describe something that happens over and over, whether it’s an injury, an argument, or a character who pops up from time to time on a television show. Recur often describes an event that happens repeatedly, but it can also be used to describe something, such as an image or a memory, that for some reason just keeps popping back up in your mind, like self-doubt that recurs every time you worry about something.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing recur

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.

The company partnered with Recur to create a platform called Paramount.xyz, which it says will “bring Paramount’s beloved entertainment entities, brands and characters to the metaverse.”

From The Verge • Apr. 6, 2022

A company backed by Cohen’s family office led a fundraising round announced Monday for Recur, a company involved in digital collectibles.

From Seattle Times • Sep. 14, 2021

All gracious myths born of the shadowy night Recur, and hover in fantastic guise, Airy and vague, before the drowsy sight.

From The Poems of Emma Lazarus, Volume 1 by Lazarus, Emma

The lonely days Recur, and draw me on the beaten ways Of all who strive and toil.

From Songs of Womanhood by Alma-Tadema, Laurence

Such passages, Wherein the eaglet is borne away On a flight of adoration for the dead eagle, Recur throughout the play: They are, in fact, its keynote, And Mme.

From Outlook Odes by Crosland, T. W. H. (Thomas William Hodgson)

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