recurrence

noun

re·​cur·​rence ri-ˈkər-ən(t)s 

-ˈkə-rən(t)s

plural recurrences

: a new occurrence of something that happened or appeared before : a repeated occurrence

Scientists are working to lower the disease's rate of recurrence.

Long-term drug therapy is associated with frequent recurrences and adverse effects, however.

—Melvin M. Scheinman

The hypoallergenic diet is restored until the itching and scratching again disappear, following which potential allergens from the original diet are restored sequentially, one by one, into the dog's meals and the owner looks for indications of the allergy's recurrence.

—Tom Ewing

As a familiar shape its exact meaning may have been lost to some of the craftsmen who used it; however, its recurrence on a whole group of gravestones in Davidson County, North Carolina, suggests an association there with hope, rebirth, and the cycle of life and death.

—Jessie Poesch

The shortage is a result of a decline in Treasury issuance as well as banks' strengthening their balance sheets in preparation for rules designed to prevent a recurrence of the 2008 financial crisis.

—Peter Coy and Liz Capo McCormick

Examples of recurrence in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This demonstrates growth and increases everyone’s confidence that the mistake will not be a recurrence. — Kate Wieczorek, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026

One of the leading candidates, mRNA-4157 (V940), has shown promising clinical results in reducing melanoma recurrence when combined with immunotherapy, potentially opening an entirely new chapter in personalized cancer treatment. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 27 July 2026

The patient was selected because his condition, unlike cancers such as leukemia, did not carry the risk of reimplanting malignant cells along with the transplant that could lead to a recurrence. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 23 July 2026

Her own health journey is why she’s teamed up with Novartis and the Breast Cancer Unscripted, which explores breast cancer experience, including the risk of recurrence. — Cara Lynn Shultz, PEOPLE, 23 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for recurrence

• concurrence
• deterrence
• incurrence
• occurrence
• transference
• coinsurance
• countertransference

Medical Definition

recurrence

noun

re·​cur·​rence ri-ˈkər-ən(t)s, -ˈkə-rən(t)s 

1

: return of symptoms of a disease after a remission

2

: reappearance of a tumor after previous removal