Synonyms of reclaim

reclaim

verb

ri-ˈklām 

1

as in to regain

to get again in one's possession

she reclaimed the championship title after losing it last year

Synonyms & Similar Words

• regain
• recapture
• retrieve
• recover
• retake
• repossess
• reacquire
• get back
• recoup
• replenish
• re-collect
• recruit
• redeem
• rescue
• repurchase

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lose
• misplace
• mislay

2

as in to rehabilitate

to make better in behavior or character

a program to reclaim juvenile offenders by requiring them to do community service

Synonyms & Similar Words

• rehabilitate
• redeem
• regenerate
• improve
• reform
• restore
• habilitate
• refine
• amend
• reeducate
• purify
• cleanse

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• subvert
• degrade
• lower
• corrupt
• poison
• demean
• demoralize
• prostitute
• warp
• pervert
• profane
• debauch
• abase
• deprave
• canker

3

as in to recycle

to obtain (a raw material) by separating it from a by-product or waste product

after reclaiming the glycerin from used vegetable oil, you can use the oil to create a fuel that burns cleaner than regular gasoline

Synonyms & Similar Words

• recycle
• recover
• reuse
• process
• reprocess

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb reclaim contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of reclaim are deliver, ransom, redeem, rescue, and save. While all these words mean "to set free from confinement or danger," reclaim suggests a bringing back to a former state or condition of someone or something abandoned or debased.

reclaimed long-abandoned farms

Where would deliver be a reasonable alternative to reclaim?

While the synonyms deliver and reclaim are close in meaning, deliver implies release usually of a person from confinement, temptation, slavery, or suffering.

delivered his people from bondage

When could ransom be used to replace reclaim?

The words ransom and reclaim can be used in similar contexts, but ransom specifically applies to buying out of captivity.

tried to ransom the kidnap victim

When is it sensible to use redeem instead of reclaim?

The meanings of redeem and reclaim largely overlap; however, redeem implies releasing from bondage or penalties by giving what is demanded or necessary.

job training designed to redeem school dropouts from chronic unemployment

In what contexts can rescue take the place of reclaim?

Although the words rescue and reclaim have much in common, rescue implies freeing from imminent danger by prompt or vigorous action.

rescued the crew of a sinking ship

When can save be used instead of reclaim?

While in some cases nearly identical to reclaim, save may replace any of the foregoing terms; it may further imply a preserving or maintaining for usefulness or continued existence.

an operation that saved my life

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of reclaim

That comeback was a spectacular success, and Vonn had reclaimed her status as the world’s dominant downhill skier. —Curt Anderson, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2026

Russia’s response comes two years to the day that Navalny died in a Siberian penal colony, with the United Kingdom and some European allies using the anniversary to announce findings from an analysis of samples from his body after his family’s prolonged fight to reclaim it following his death. —Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 16 Feb. 2026

Often considered the birthplace of the city, the park sits on land reclaimed in the 1960s from former textile mills, transforming an industrial corridor into one of Greenville’s most beloved—and beautiful—public spaces. —Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2026

With the win, the Tommies (21-7 overall, 10-3 Summit) reclaimed sole possession of second place in the Summit standings as North Dakota fell to conference leader North Dakota State on Saturday. —Staff Report, Twin Cities, 15 Feb. 2026