recoup

verb

re·​coup ri-ˈküp 

recouped; recouping; recoups

transitive verb

1

a

: to get an equivalent for (losses) : make up for

b

: reimburse, compensate

recoup a person for losses

2

: regain

an attempt to recoup his fortune

intransitive verb

: to make good or make up for something lost

also : recuperate

recoupable

ri-ˈkü-pə-bəl 

adjective

recoupment

ri-ˈküp-mənt 

noun

Synonyms of recoup

• recapture
• regain
• retrieve
• recover
• reclaim

Examples of recoup in a Sentence

It will be hard for us to recoup the loss.

Movie studios can turn to video sales to recoup the costs of a movie that does poorly at the box office.

She recouped only a portion of her investment.

Recent Examples on the Web

Historically, a film has typically needed to make 2½ to three times its budget to recoup its costs. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026

Consumers are offloading high-quality, larger-sized apparel to resale platforms like Poshmark, ThredUp, eBay and The RealReal to recoup costs. — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026

In that scenario, energy companies and the localities seeking to recoup funds for climate change damages would remain in legal limbo. — Henry Gass, Christian Science Monitor, 5 Oct. 2026

Banks may recoup some of the cost by charging merchants their own digital-euro transaction fee, although critics argue this is effectively re-creating the interchange model the digital euro was meant to disrupt. — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 1 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French recouper to cut back, from Old French, from re- + couper to cut — more at cope entry 1

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Rhymes for recoup

• newsgroup
• regroup
• subgroup
• workgroup
• coop
• coupe
• croup
• droop
• drupe
• dupe
• group
• hoop

Kids Definition

recoup

verb

re·​coup ri-ˈküp 

1

: to make up for : recover

recoup a loss

2

: reimburse, compensate

recoup a person for losses

recoupment

-ˈküp-mənt 

noun

Legal Definition

recoup

transitive verb

re·​coup ri-ˈküp 

: recover sense 1

would recoup the overpayment from current claims payments

—City of Cordova v. Medicaid Rate Commn., 789 P.2d 346 (1990)