recuperate

verb

re·​cu·​per·​ate ri-ˈkü-pə-ˌrāt 

-ˈkyü-

recuperated; recuperating

transitive verb

1

: to get back : regain

2

: to bring back into use or currency : revive

recuperate old traditions

intransitive verb

: to regain a former state or condition

especially : to recover health or strength

recuperation

ri-ˌkü-pə-ˈrā-shən 

-ˌkyü-

noun

Synonyms

• recover

Examples of recuperate in a Sentence

She took a day off to recuperate.

half the office was out today, many employees being sick or recuperating from the flu

Recent Examples on the Web

James Maddison may well be out for the entire season with a knee injury, while Dejan Kulusevski is still recuperating from knee surgery and Dominic Solanke missed plenty of pre-season. —Anantaajith Raghuraman, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2025

The rear motor does use regenerative braking to recuperate electrons, but doing so only for the rear axle of a lightweight car occasionally caused strange dynamics. —Michael Teo Van Runkle, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025

When the rest of the team was getting reps during spring practice, Beck, who was recuperating from offseason elbow surgery, would pick Dawson’s brain. —Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 30 July 2025

However, most of us will never know the full truth of what goes on in her body under the surface—some days are purposefully much quieter in order for Burke to slow down and allow her body to recuperate. —Mara Santilli, Flow Space, 11 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin recuperatus, past participle of recuperare — more at recover

First Known Use

1542, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Rhymes for recuperate

• abbreviate
• accelerate
• accommodate
• accumulate
• acuminate
• adjudicate
• adulterate
• affiliate
• agglomerate
• agglutinate
• alleviate
• amalgamate

Kids Definition

recuperate

verb

re·​cu·​per·​ate ri-ˈk(y)ü-pə-ˌrāt 

recuperated; recuperating

: recover sense 2

especially : to regain health or strength

recuperation

-ˌk(y)ü-pə-ˈrā-shən 

noun

Medical Definition

recuperate

verb

re·​cu·​per·​ate ri-ˈk(y)ü-pə-ˌrāt 

recuperated; recuperating

transitive verb

: to get back or recover

recuperating health and strength after pneumonia

intransitive verb

: to recover health or strength

time to recuperate after major surgery