Etymology
Origin of recurrence
Explanation
If something is happening yet again, there's a recurrence of it. Most sports fans hope there isn't a recurrence of last year's losing season. If you keep getting a hacking cough, then you're having a recurrence — that cough just keeps coming back. The word recurrence has to do with things that repeat or return, often at predictable times. If your dog barks at the same time every day, your neighbors might complain about the recurrence of noise. A note on using this word: reoccurrence means basically the same thing, but recurrence is considered a more stylish choice.
Vocabulary lists containing recurrence
"An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" by Ambrose Bierce
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"Rip Van Winkle" by Washington Irving
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Vocabulary from Woodrow Wilson's "Fourteen Points" (1918)
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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.
While these tests capture headlines and Super Bowl ads, the more proven opportunity for investors has been in a less glamorous market: checking for cancer recurrence.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
Now, researchers are learning more about why these episodes happen, how to differentiate more-common causes from more-serious issues, and which treatments can prevent or reduce recurrence, including specialized physical therapy.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 15, 2026
Earlier, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country has the "necessary will" to put an end to the war but demanded certain guarantees to prevent the recurrence of any future aggression.
From BBC • Mar. 31, 2026
That sense of closure is invaluable for people who have spent years worrying about the possibility of a recurrence.
From Slate • Mar. 29, 2026
From what I could gather on the rare occasions when Isaac shared with the group, a recurrence had placed his remaining eye in mortal peril.
From "The Fault in Our Stars" by John Green
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.
