recover

verb (1)

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re·cov·er | \ ri-ˈkə-vər

recovered; recovering\ ri-ˈkə-və-riŋ

, -ˈkəv-riŋ \

Definition of recover

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to get back : regain

2a : to bring back to normal position or condition stumbled, then recovered himself

b archaic : rescue

3a : to make up for recover increased costs through higher prices

b : to gain by legal process

4 archaic : reach

5 : to find or identify again recover a comet

6a : to obtain from an ore, a waste product, or a by-product

b : to save from loss and restore to usefulness : reclaim

intransitive verb

1 : to regain a normal position or condition (as of health) recovering from a cold

2 : to obtain a final legal judgment in one's favor

re-cover

verb (2)

re-cov·er | \ (ˌ)rē-ˈkə-vər

re-covered; re-covering; re-covers

Definition of re-cover (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

: to cover again or anew

Other Words from recover Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about recover

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Examples of recover in a Sentence

Verb (1) She had a heart attack but is recovering well. Share prices will be down until the economy recovers. She recovered consciousness in the hospital. I slipped, but somehow recovered my balance. He suffered a stroke and hasn't yet recovered the use of his left arm. The police recovered his stolen wallet. The program helps users recover computer files that have been deleted.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb After consulting with the Victoria County Health Department and the non-profits Feeding America and Feeding Texas, the food bank decided to close for a deep cleaning of its facilities and to give staff enough time to recover, the Facebook post said. — Taylor Pettaway, ExpressNews.com, "Coronavirus outbreak temporarily closes a South Texas food bank," 15 Jan. 2021 Judging by the new results, however, life’s diversity may not recover quickly. — Riley Black, Scientific American, "Earth’s Biodiversity Bursts Do Not Follow Expected Pattern," 14 Jan. 2021 Republicans may recover next year the way minority parties usually do in a new president’s first midterm election — with an oppositional message against Democrats. — New York Times, "Republicans Splinter Over Whether to Make a Full Break From Trump," 7 Jan. 2021 Even Nick Saban’s daughter threw out a theory on Twitter that Ohio State wants to buy time for quarterback Justin Fields to recover from an unspecified torso/rib injury suffered in the semifinals. — Dan Wolken, USA TODAY, "Opinion: COVID-19 wreaking havoc with college football to the very end," 5 Jan. 2021 Grier said Tagovailoa and the Miami training staff worked hard after the quarterback joined the Dolphins to recover from the injury, particularly with the constrictions imposed by the coronavirus pandemic. — Mark Inabinett | Minabinett@al.com, al, "Dolphins plan to build around Tua Tagovailoa," 5 Jan. 2021 Bodies were everywhere and Gallman did recover the fumble. — Calvin Watkins, Dallas News, "5 takeaways from Cowboys-Giants: Dallas’ season ends after some questionable decisions vs. NYG," 3 Jan. 2021 Hotels in big cities like New York or Chicago that depend on business travelers will take a particularly long time to recover from the crisis, Mr. Bellisario said. — Konrad Putzier, WSJ, "Hotel Owners Continue to Reel From the Pandemic," 2 Jan. 2021 Will Richardson, who had surgery on his left thumb on Dec. 2, remains on schedule to return in as soon as six weeks but could take more time to fully recover and take the court for the No. 25 Ducks. — James Crepea | The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, "Oregon Ducks hoping point guard Will Richardson returns between mid-January and Feb. 1," 23 Dec. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'recover.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

21 Jan 2021

Cite this Entry

“Recover.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recover. Accessed 25 Jan. 2021.

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More Definitions for recover

recover

verb

English Language Learners Definition of recover

(Entry 1 of 2)

: to become healthy after an illness or injury : to return to normal health

: to return to a normal state after a period of difficulty

: to get (something, such as an ability or feeling) again

re-cover

verb

English Language Learners Definition of re-cover (Entry 2 of 2)

: to cover (something) again : to put a new cover on (something)

See the full definition for re-cover in the English Language Learners Dictionary

recover

verb

re·cov·er | \ ri-ˈkə-vər

recovered; recovering

Kids Definition of recover

1 : to get back : regain I recovered my lost wallet. Mary began to recover her breath and feel safer …— Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden

2 : to regain or return to a normal or usual state (as of health or composure) Have you recovered from the flu?

3 : to make up for We can't recover lost time.

recover

intransitive verb

re·cov·er | \ ri-ˈkəv-ər

recovered; recovering\ -(ə-)riŋ