reclamation

noun

rec·​la·​ma·​tion ˌre-klə-ˈmā-shən How to pronounce reclamation (audio)
: the act or process of reclaiming: such as
b
: restoration to use : recovery

Examples of reclamation in a Sentence

pumped water out of the field as part of the land reclamation program designed to provide farmers with more farmland
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.
In the streaming era, where every click has currency, fans are participants in this reclamation. Arkansas Online, 19 July 2025 Spanning beyond physical protection and reclamation, indigo’s spiritual significance stems from pre-colonial Africa to the foundational heritage of Black people in the American South, as expounded by Imani Perry in her book, Black in Blues: How A Color Tells The Story of My People (2025). Cierra Black, Essence, 9 July 2025 From building trades to language reclamation, the festival seeks to explore the ways in which young people navigate today’s world while also learning from and making anew the traditions of their elders. Michelle Mehrtens, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 July 2025 The practice of robbing Linear Pete to pay Stock-Watching Paul has only exacerbated pay-TV’s wholly credible shrinking act, and now the traditional media giants seem to have given up on any sort of last-ditch reclamation effort. Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 20 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for reclamation

Word History

Etymology

French réclamation, from Latin reclamation-, reclamatio, from reclamare

First Known Use

1633, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of reclamation was in 1633

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reclamation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reclamation. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

reclamation

noun
rec·​la·​ma·​tion ˌrek-lə-ˈmā-shən How to pronounce reclamation (audio)
: the act or process of reclaiming : the state of being reclaimed

Legal Definition

reclamation

noun
rec·​la·​ma·​tion ˌre-klə-ˈmā-shən How to pronounce reclamation (audio)
1
: the act or process of reclaiming
the reclamation of goods delivered to an insolvent buyer
2
: a right to reclaim (as under commercial law)
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