re·cap·ture
(ˌ)rē-ˈkap-chər 
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
recaptured; recapturing; recaptures
1
a
: to capture again
b
: to experience again
by no effort of the imagination could she recapture the ecstasy—
Ellen Glasgow
Ellen Glasgow2
: to take (something, such as a portion of earnings or profits above a fixed amount) by law or through negotiations under law
Synonyms
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.
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Recent Examples on the WebConstant Méheut, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2023
Ukraine’s recapture of the small village of Neskuchne in the eastern Donetsk region on June 10 encapsulates the opening strategy of a major counteroffensive launched earlier this month.
—Samya Kullab, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2023
The recapture of Staromaiorske, a small village that is nonetheless critical to Ukraine’s southern strategy, was such a welcome development for Ukraine that President Volodymyr Zelensky announced it himself.
—Carlotta Gall, New York Times, 31 July 2023
The moral and human meanings of nuclear warfare have disappeared behind a veil of indifference, while the U.S. insistence on total Ukrainian victory—even contemplating a recapture of Crimea—makes a nuclear exchange ever more likely.
—Jackson Lears, Harper's Magazine, 9 June 2023
Tamika Alford-Stephens, chief financial officer for the district, estimates that this year’s recapture will be around $240 million.
—Marcela Rodrigues, Dallas News, 23 June 2023
The village is one of many along the southern front line, and its recapture, if confirmed, is unlikely to represent a major military breakthrough for Ukraine.
—Matthew Mpoke Bigg, BostonGlobe.com, 18 June 2023
Her recapture came a day after another Lawrence County jail inmate on the lam, 45-year-old Adam Bolan, was found in Knoxville, Tennessee.
—Howard Koplowitz | Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, 8 Mar. 2023
While the recapture of Blahodatne pointed to a small Ukrainian advance, Western and Ukrainian leaders have repeatedly cautioned that efforts to expel Russian troops more broadly are expected take time.
—Jamey Keaten, BostonGlobe.com, 11 June 2023
Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2023
Fans celebrated the move, believing that’s what Alabama needed to recapture its identity.
—Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 18 Sep. 2023
East recaptured the lead 14-13 on a 5-yard touchdown from senior running back Saumani Atiifale followed by a successful two-point conversion.
—Josh Reed, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Sep. 2023
With all three automakers reporting record or near-record profits, the union was trying to recapture many benefits they had been forced to give up more than a decade ago when the companies were cash starved and on the brink of bankruptcy.
—Chris Isidore, CNN, 15 Sep. 2023
Most of the enslaved people were recaptured, and Meachum and her fellow abolitionists were arrested.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2023
Brophy came right back and recaptured the lead on a 1-yard run by Carlos Estrada.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Sep. 2023
Within days, Ukraine had recaptured several small villages near the Donetsk-Zaporizhia border, but Russian defenses, including heavy fortifications and miles-wide minefields, have kept Ukraine's progress slow.
—Peter Weber, The Week, 25 Aug. 2023
The higher that number is, the more revenue Disney will be able to recapture.
—Bypaolo Confino, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2023
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Noun
The recapture of Robotyne, the first settlement Ukraine has claimed to seize in nearly two weeks, could help boost the Ukrainian public’s morale after grinding fighting that has produced only small gains.
—Constant Méheut, New York Times, 28 Aug. 2023
Ukraine’s recapture of the small village of Neskuchne in the eastern Donetsk region on June 10 encapsulates the opening strategy of a major counteroffensive launched earlier this month.
—Samya Kullab, Chicago Tribune, 30 June 2023
The recapture of Staromaiorske, a small village that is nonetheless critical to Ukraine’s southern strategy, was such a welcome development for Ukraine that President Volodymyr Zelensky announced it himself.
—Carlotta Gall, New York Times, 31 July 2023
The moral and human meanings of nuclear warfare have disappeared behind a veil of indifference, while the U.S. insistence on total Ukrainian victory—even contemplating a recapture of Crimea—makes a nuclear exchange ever more likely.
—Jackson Lears, Harper's Magazine, 9 June 2023
Tamika Alford-Stephens, chief financial officer for the district, estimates that this year’s recapture will be around $240 million.
—Marcela Rodrigues, Dallas News, 23 June 2023
The village is one of many along the southern front line, and its recapture, if confirmed, is unlikely to represent a major military breakthrough for Ukraine.
—Matthew Mpoke Bigg, BostonGlobe.com, 18 June 2023
Her recapture came a day after another Lawrence County jail inmate on the lam, 45-year-old Adam Bolan, was found in Knoxville, Tennessee.
—Howard Koplowitz | Hkoplowitz@al.com, al, 8 Mar. 2023
While the recapture of Blahodatne pointed to a small Ukrainian advance, Western and Ukrainian leaders have repeatedly cautioned that efforts to expel Russian troops more broadly are expected take time.
—Jamey Keaten, BostonGlobe.com, 11 June 2023
Verb
Azerbaijan recaptured some areas of Nagorno-Karabakh after a new war in 2020 that paved the way for the Armenian defeat today.
—Patrick Reevell, ABC News, 20 Sep. 2023
Fans celebrated the move, believing that’s what Alabama needed to recapture its identity.
—Joseph Goodman | Jgoodman@al.com, al, 18 Sep. 2023
East recaptured the lead 14-13 on a 5-yard touchdown from senior running back Saumani Atiifale followed by a successful two-point conversion.
—Josh Reed, Anchorage Daily News, 16 Sep. 2023
With all three automakers reporting record or near-record profits, the union was trying to recapture many benefits they had been forced to give up more than a decade ago when the companies were cash starved and on the brink of bankruptcy.
—Chris Isidore, CNN, 15 Sep. 2023
Most of the enslaved people were recaptured, and Meachum and her fellow abolitionists were arrested.
—Darcel Rockett, Chicago Tribune, 12 Sep. 2023
Brophy came right back and recaptured the lead on a 1-yard run by Carlos Estrada.
—John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Sep. 2023
Within days, Ukraine had recaptured several small villages near the Donetsk-Zaporizhia border, but Russian defenses, including heavy fortifications and miles-wide minefields, have kept Ukraine's progress slow.
—Peter Weber, The Week, 25 Aug. 2023
The higher that number is, the more revenue Disney will be able to recapture.
—Bypaolo Confino, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2023
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'recapture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near recapture
Cite this Entry
“Recapture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recapture. Accessed 27 Sep. 2023.
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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 noun1
: the act or process of recapturing
2
: an amount recaptured or subject to recapture
More from Merriam-Webster on recapture
Nglish: Translation of recapture for Spanish Speakers
Britannica English: Translation of recapture for Arabic Speakers
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