retrieval

noun

re·​triev·​al ri-ˈtrē-vəl How to pronounce retrieval (audio)
Synonyms of retrievalnext
1
: an act or process of retrieving
2
: possibility of being retrieved or of recovering
beyond retrieval

Examples of retrieval in a Sentence

the retrieval of stolen goods The system allows quick storage and retrieval of data.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Her work with a body retrieval unit takes a horrific turn when the dead begin to rise. Robert Lang, Deadline, 27 Dec. 2025 Its most innovative effort was testing a cart retrieval program in two parts of the city, which collected 734 carts over three months. Devan Patel, Mercury News, 24 Dec. 2025 The breakthrough came with a new pulse retrieval method. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Dec. 2025 Not as a symbolic gesture, but as a legally binding framework that governs everything from tank retrievals to groundwater treatment. New Atlas, 14 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for retrieval

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1643, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of retrieval was circa 1643

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Cite this Entry

“Retrieval.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrieval. Accessed 9 Jan. 2026.

Kids Definition

retrieval

noun
re·​triev·​al ri-ˈtrē-vəl How to pronounce retrieval (audio)
: an act or process of retrieving

More from Merriam-Webster on retrieval

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