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Synonyms

regain

American  
[ree-geyn] / riˈgeɪn /

verb (used with object)

  1. to get again; recover.

    to regain one's health.

  2. to succeed in reaching again; get back to.

    to regain the shore.

noun

  1. (in a moisture-free fabric) the percentage of the weight that represents the amount of moisture the material is expected to absorb under normal conditions.

regain British  

verb

  1. to take or get back; recover

  2. to reach again

"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

noun

  1. the process of getting something back, esp lost weight

    this regain was inevitable
"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

  • half-regained adjective
  • regainable adjective
  • regainer noun
  • unregainable adjective
  • unregained adjective

Etymology

Origin of regain

First recorded in 1540–50; re- + gain 1

Explanation

After you get off of a crazy carnival ride, you'll probably have to regain your balance, or get it back. Any time you've lost something and want to recover it, you hope to regain it. If your friend is furious with you because you didn't keep a secret she told you, you'll probably try to regain her trust and as a result, regain her friendship.

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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.

Winners will adapt and regain their peak values.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 12, 2026

But at the same time, the company filed its 10-K to regain compliance with that obligation, even as the material weakness has not yet been corrected.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 12, 2026

I Am Maximus, ridden by Paul Townend, went into the race 9-2 favourite after significant late support by punters and became the first horse since Red Rum in 1977 to regain the Grand National.

From BBC • Apr. 11, 2026

Many K-pop boy bands have faced career downturns after completing mandatory military service, in a fiercely competitive industry where momentum is hard to regain.

From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026

“Yours is a perpetual and unceasing hunger. Go and find some food. I am working to regain my strength. Do not forget the curse, Louisiana!”

From "Louisiana's Way Home" by Kate DiCamillo

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.