recapture

1 of 2

noun

re·​cap·​ture (ˌ)rē-ˈkap-chər How to pronounce recapture (audio)
1
a
: the act of retaking
b
: an instance of being retaken
2
: the retaking of a prize or goods under international law
3
: a government seizure under law of earnings or profits beyond a fixed amount

recapture

2 of 2

verb

recaptured; recapturing; recaptures

transitive verb

1
a
: to capture again
b
: to experience again
by no effort of the imagination could she recapture the ecstasyEllen Glasgow
2
: to take (something, such as a portion of earnings or profits above a fixed amount) by law or through negotiations under law

Examples of recapture in a Sentence

Noun the recapture of the territory may take longer than expected Verb The guards recaptured the escaped prisoner. The soldiers recaptured the hill they had lost the day before. In the final lap of the race, he recaptured the lead. They are trying to recapture those happy times they had together. The documentary recaptures the social tensions of the 1960s.
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.
Noun
In addition to more per-student funding, a split would result in fewer dollars sent to the state as part of the recapture program. Cody Copeland, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Jan. 2025 Russia has hailed the recapture from Ukrainian forces of a number of Russian towns and villages. Shane Croucher john Feng, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 May 2025
Verb
Their run through the lesser lights of MLB has allowed the Dodgers to recapture the best record in baseball (54-32) – moving ahead of the Detroit Tigers, who were rained out Tuesday – and pull away in the NL West. Bill Plunkett, Oc Register, 2 July 2025 Still, the chain isn’t firmly focused on collectibles, with management seeming intent on recapturing its meme stock mojo. Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for recapture

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1752, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1799, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of recapture was in 1752

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Recapture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recapture. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

recapture

verb
re·​cap·​ture
(ˈ)rē-ˈkap-chər
1
: to capture again
recaptured the escaped prisoner
2
: to experience again
trying to recapture those happy times

Legal Definition

recapture

1 of 2 transitive verb
re·​cap·​ture
ˌrē-ˈkap-chər
recaptured; recapturing
1
: to capture again
2
: to recover or take (as an excess or gain) by law or agreement
especially : to recover (a tax benefit) by higher or additional taxation of income or property that ceases to qualify for a credit or deduction or by taxing gain realized from the sale or exchange of such property
the government recaptured the depreciation by taxing the gain resulting from the difference between the sale price and the basis after depreciation

recapture

2 of 2 noun
1
: the act or process of recapturing
2
: an amount recaptured or subject to recapture

More from Merriam-Webster on recapture

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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