recharge

verb

re·​charge (ˌ)rē-ˈchärj 

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  ˈrē-ˌchärj 

noun

rechargeable

(ˌ)rē-ˈchär-jə-bəl 

adjective

recharger

(ˌ)rē-ˈchär-jər 

noun

Synonyms of recharge

• restore
• refresh
• revive
• recreate
• replenish
• renew

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

The Pixel Watch 5 also recharges much more quickly than its Samsung rival. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026

Some of that water was captured and used to recharge groundwater and fill reservoirs, but much more flowed through creeks and rivers and ultimately out to the Bay. — Valerie Pryor, Mercury News, 19 Aug. 2026

Coaches often use that break between minicamp and training camp to recharge, but also to assess their methods and approaches to those offseason practices. — Mike Jones, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026

But when disasters hit – during an earthquake, hurricane or wildfire evacuation, for example – cellphones can be easily lost or forgotten, their batteries can run down with no way to recharge them, and cell service can become unreliable. — Lee Ann Rawlins Williams, The Conversation, 17 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Phrases Containing recharge

• recharge one's batteries

Rhymes for recharge

• discharge
• enlarge
• litharge
• surcharge
• barge
• charge
• large
• marge
• sarge
• targe
• overcharge

Kids Definition

recharge

verb

re·​charge rē-ˈchärj 

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

-ˈchär-jə-bəl 

adjective

recharger

-jər 

noun