recharge

verb

re·​charge (ˌ)rē-ˈchärj How to pronounce recharge (audio)
recharged; recharging; recharges

intransitive verb

1
: to make a new attack
2
: to regain energy or spirit
3
: to become charged again : to refill with electric charge
Batteries keep our devices working throughout the day—that is, they have a high energy density—but they can take hours to recharge when they run down.Patrice Simon et al.

transitive verb

1
: to charge again
especially : to restore anew the active materials in (a storage battery)
2
: to inspire or invigorate afresh : renew
recharge
(ˌ)rē-ˈchärj How to pronounce recharge (audio)
ˈrē-ˌchärj
noun
rechargeable adjective
recharger noun

Examples of recharge in a Sentence

When the computer beeps, you need to recharge the battery. It takes about an hour for the battery to recharge. Take a break to give yourself time to recharge.
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.
Prince William and Kate Middleton scale back their schedules when their children are out of school in order to spend extra time together as a family, and even King Charles traditionally scales back his schedule between late July and August to relax and recharge before the fall. Janine Henni, People.com, 27 July 2025 Dine Out Lauderdale, Broward County’s recipe for recharging restaurants through the slow summer slump, returns Aug. 1-Sept. 30 with 137 (and counting) eateries selling multi-course lunches and dinners for $35 to $75, minus tax and gratuity. Phillip Valys, Sun Sentinel, 25 July 2025 Later, customers began to ask for enough power to support applications like recharging power wheelchairs. Andrew Moseman, IEEE Spectrum, 24 July 2025 Charging for the 2026 Subaru Uncharted comes via a NACS standard plug at up to 150 kW. In cold weather, the vehicle can recharge from 10 to 80% in about 30 minutes via its onboard battery preconditioning system. New Atlas, 18 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for recharge

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of recharge was in 1598

Cite this Entry

“Recharge.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recharge. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

recharge

verb
re·​charge rē-ˈchärj How to pronounce recharge (audio)
1
: to make a new attack
2
: to charge again
especially : to restore the chemical energy of (a storage battery) so it may be used again
3
: to make or become restored in energy or spirit : renew
needed some time to relax and recharge
rechargeable adjective
recharger noun

More from Merriam-Webster on recharge

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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