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

These parking bans are designed to keep the city’s streets clear and cars moving despite inclement weather — and to prevent recurrences of problems that happened in 1967 and 1979 when Chicago came to a traffic standstill due to major snowstorms. —Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 29 Nov. 2024

Since there was a 36% chance of recurrence, Abraira underwent four sessions of chemotherapy followed by 20 rounds of radiation over the next five months. —Kimberlee Speakman, People.com, 23 Nov. 2024

Indeed, 45% of people who take an antibiotic course for SIBO experience a recurrence of their symptoms. —Erica Sloan, SELF, 24 Oct. 2024

Breast cancer recurrence: Some research shows a reduced risk of breast cancer recurrence with tamoxifen and a diet high in cruciferous vegetables. —Elizabeth Barnes, Verywell Health, 24 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1626, in the meaning defined above

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