recur

verb

re·​cur ri-ˈkər How to pronounce recur (audio)
recurred; recurring

intransitive verb

1
: to have recourse : resort
2
: to go back in thought or discourse
on recurring to my letters of that dateThomas Jefferson
3
a
: to come up again for consideration
b
: to come again to mind
4
: to occur again after an interval : occur time after time
the cancer recurred

Examples of recur in a Sentence

There is only a slight chance that the disease will recur. The same problem keeps recurring.
Recent Examples on the Web The recurring hazard is possible in part because of the lack of smoke detectors or sprinklers in the inmate housing areas. Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 27 Sep. 2023 There’s plenty of entertainment value in watching Flanagan work with his growing troupe of recurring players. Daniel Fienberg, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Sep. 2023 Rafael Casal appeared in a recurring role as Miles. Joe Otterson, Variety, 25 Sep. 2023 About $700 million supports recurring expenses such as summer programs and social worker salaries. Shruti Date Singh and Nic Querolo Bloomberg News (tns), Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2023 In one recurring dream, for example, my parent’s German Shepherd transformed into a monstrous beast with glistening fangs and glowing eyes. Alex Orlando, Discover Magazine, 20 Sep. 2023 Democrats opposed the recurring cuts — which would decrease state funds into the future — and favored greater increases for spending priorities such as public education, teacher and state employee pay raises, and mental health services. Laura Vozzella, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2023 Ann Arbor joins Louisville, Kentucky; Madison, Wisconsin, and dozens of other cities across the U.S. experimenting with the concept that recurring cash sets families up for financial success. Nushrat Rahman, Detroit Free Press, 11 Sep. 2023 Following three, long back-to-back stints on some of the biggest soap operas on cable, Miller moved on to recurring roles in drama series like Suits and Truth Be Told. Christy Piña, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'recur.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin recurrere "to run back, return, have recourse (to)," from re- re- + currere "to run" — more at current entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1512, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of recur was circa 1512

Dictionary Entries Near recur

Cite this Entry

“Recur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recur. Accessed 30 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

recur

verb
re·​cur ri-ˈkər How to pronounce recur (audio)
recurred; recurring
1
: to go or come back in thought or discussion
2
: to come again into the mind
3
: to occur or appear again
recurrence
-ˈkər-ən(t)s How to pronounce recur (audio)
-ˈkə-rən(t)s
noun

Medical Definition

recur

intransitive verb
re·​cur ri-ˈkər How to pronounce recur (audio)
recurred; recurring
: to occur again after an interval
a disease likely to recur

More from Merriam-Webster on recur

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!