plural recurves
1
: an archery bow with tips that curve away from the string side when the bow is not strung
Primitive bows are simply a stick and string; a recurve adds a curve on each limb of the bow.—
Will Elliott
—often used before another nounWill Elliott a recurve bow
2
: a curve in a backward or reverse direction
A number of computer models indicate that the storm may cross the Florida peninsula and enter the Gulf of Mexico … . A recurve to the north into Georgia is a possibility …—Pam Knox
Pam Knox
recurved; recurving; recurves
: to curve or turn in a backward or reverse direction
especially, of a weather disturbance
: to reverse the direction of travel by curving back
… it's common for a hurricane like Irma to near the East Coast but then recurve away, after hitting a force field in the form of westerly winds at the upper levels of the atmosphere. —Andrew Freedman
Andrew Freedman 
Example Sentences
Recent Examples on the WebLeto Sapunar, The Salt Lake Tribune, 27 Dec. 2022
Olympic archer's typically compete in Olympic recurve, in which the bows have a few additional pieces.
—Lauren Hertz, The Arizona Republic, 24 Sep. 2022
Then there are recurve bows with curved tips that create more energy than the longbow.
—Patrick Cooke, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Nov. 2021
Bennett has since transitioned to the recurve bow, a more traditional style with no pulley system, for the 2012 London, 2016 Rio, and 2020 Tokyo Games.
—Kamryn Walker, The Arizona Republic, 25 Aug. 2021
Ellison, ranked No. 1 in the world in recurve, dominated the four-stage trials that began in 2019 before the pandemic with 169 total points.
—Jeff Metcalfe, The Arizona Republic, 1 June 2021
In 2019, Komalika Bari, who was just 17 at the time, became only the second Indian female archer, after Deepika Kumari in 2009, to win gold in the recurve cadet event at the World Archery Youth Championships in Madrid.
—John Kang, Forbes, 19 Apr. 2021
In Ohio, one of the few states to differentiate crossbow vs. vertical-bow harvest data, crossbow hunters have begun to replace bowhunters in the same way that compound hunters once replaced recurve hunters.
—Will Brantley, Field & Stream, 17 Mar. 2021
To him, any animal taken with a recurve was an accomplishment.
—Beka Garris, Outdoor Life, 16 Dec. 2020
Laine Higgins, WSJ, 27 Dec. 2021
Earl is forecast to recurve to the east and away from the U.S.
—Leigh Morgan, al, 4 Sep. 2022
The long-range path suggest Earl could recurve to the north and steer clear of the U.S.
—Leigh Morgan, al, 2 Sep. 2022
That's because systems that get strong have a greater tendency to recurve out to sea rather than keep moving westward towards the Caribbean.
—Jeff Berardelli, CBS News, 24 Sep. 2021
Expecting the storm to recurve eastward, as most Atlantic tropical storms did, Weather Bureau forecasters in Washington issued warnings to the eastern Gulf Coast, Florida, and southern states on the Atlantic.
—Daniel Pendick, Discover Magazine, 13 Sep. 2018
See More
Noun
The Legolas has an embedded recurve bow string and The Sauron contains lava rock.
—Leto Sapunar, The Salt Lake Tribune, 27 Dec. 2022
Olympic archer's typically compete in Olympic recurve, in which the bows have a few additional pieces.
—Lauren Hertz, The Arizona Republic, 24 Sep. 2022
Then there are recurve bows with curved tips that create more energy than the longbow.
—Patrick Cooke, Smithsonian Magazine, 19 Nov. 2021
Bennett has since transitioned to the recurve bow, a more traditional style with no pulley system, for the 2012 London, 2016 Rio, and 2020 Tokyo Games.
—Kamryn Walker, The Arizona Republic, 25 Aug. 2021
Ellison, ranked No. 1 in the world in recurve, dominated the four-stage trials that began in 2019 before the pandemic with 169 total points.
—Jeff Metcalfe, The Arizona Republic, 1 June 2021
In 2019, Komalika Bari, who was just 17 at the time, became only the second Indian female archer, after Deepika Kumari in 2009, to win gold in the recurve cadet event at the World Archery Youth Championships in Madrid.
—John Kang, Forbes, 19 Apr. 2021
In Ohio, one of the few states to differentiate crossbow vs. vertical-bow harvest data, crossbow hunters have begun to replace bowhunters in the same way that compound hunters once replaced recurve hunters.
—Will Brantley, Field & Stream, 17 Mar. 2021
To him, any animal taken with a recurve was an accomplishment.
—Beka Garris, Outdoor Life, 16 Dec. 2020
Verb
Around age 14, when the son switched over to recurve—the style contested in Olympic archery contests that is most emphasized by USA Archery—his intuitive feel for the bow propelled him to podium finishes and earned him an invitation to join the national body’s Junior Dream Team.
—Laine Higgins, WSJ, 27 Dec. 2021
Earl is forecast to recurve to the east and away from the U.S.
—Leigh Morgan, al, 4 Sep. 2022
The long-range path suggest Earl could recurve to the north and steer clear of the U.S.
—Leigh Morgan, al, 2 Sep. 2022
That's because systems that get strong have a greater tendency to recurve out to sea rather than keep moving westward towards the Caribbean.
—Jeff Berardelli, CBS News, 24 Sep. 2021
Expecting the storm to recurve eastward, as most Atlantic tropical storms did, Weather Bureau forecasters in Washington issued warnings to the eastern Gulf Coast, Florida, and southern states on the Atlantic.
—Daniel Pendick, Discover Magazine, 13 Sep. 2018
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'recurve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
Dictionary Entries Near recurve
Cite this Entry
“Recurve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recurve. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Words at Play
-
Palter, Dissemble, and Other Words for Lying
Trust us
-
Skunk, Bayou, and Other Words with Native American Origins
You've used more than you might think
-
Words For Things You Didn't Know Have Names, Vol. 2
When 'thingamajig' and 'thingamabob' just won't do
-
When Were Words First Used?
Look up any year to find out
Ask the Editors
Word Games
Share