recurrent

adjective

re·​cur·​rent ri-ˈkər-ənt 

-ˈkə-rənt

1

: running or turning back in a direction opposite to a former course

—used of various nerves and branches of vessels in the arms and legs

2

: returning or happening time after time

recurrent complaints

recurrently adverb

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Recurrent vs. Recurring

Is there a difference between recurring and recurrent? As is so often the case with nearly identical words, the answer is "yes and no." Both words are most commonly used in the sense "happening time after time." But recurrent, the more commonly-used of the two, tends to appear more often in medical contexts, as in “recurrent fevers” or “recurrent cancer.” It also has a specialized anatomical sense, "running or turning back in a direction opposite to a former course,” as in “a recurrent artery,” that recurring does not share. There are certainly circumstances in which either recurrent or recurring could be used; pain or needs might be described as either recurrent or recurring. But even in such cases, there may be subtle differences which you may wish to pay attention to. Recurrent tends to suggest a coming back of something that has existed before, whereas recurring often implies simply a repeated occurrence.

Synonyms

• recurring
• periodic

Examples of recurrent in a Sentence

The loss of innocence is a recurrent theme in his stories.

had recurrent problems with the computer for months and finally junked it

Recent Examples on the Web

To prevent recurrent issues, owners should identify the source of the cat's arousal and avoid as best as possible. —Maria Morava, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 June 2025

For example, our findings provide a key reason why patients with a chronic autoimmune disease called systemic lupus erythematosus often suffer from recurrent infections. —Andrew Monteith, The Conversation, 25 June 2025

But equally recurrent is the West’s broader obsession with her family—Agrippina along with emperors Caligula, Nero, Augustus, and others. —Literary Hub june 23, Literary Hub, 23 June 2025

Here in the twentieth century is a living example of Man’s recurrent, archetypal pattern for working out the Role of the Hero and at the same time denying the inevitability and finality of death. . . . —Charlie Lee, Harpers Magazine, 18 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Latin recurrent-, recurrens, present participle of recurrere "to run back, run in the opposite direction, return" — more at recur

First Known Use

1578, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for recurrent

• concurrent
• decurrent
• noncurrent
• countercurrent
• intercurrent
• overcurrent
• photocurrent
• undercurrent
• current

Kids Definition

recurrent

adjective

re·​cur·​rent ri-ˈkər-ənt 

-ˈkə-rənt

: returning from time to time

a recurrent fever

recurrently adverb

Medical Definition

recurrent

adjective

re·​cur·​rent -ˈkər-ənt, -ˈkə-rənt 

1

: running or turning back in a direction opposite to a former course

—used of various nerves and branches of vessels in the arms and legs

2

: returning or happening time after time

recurrent pain

recurrently adverb