retrieve

verb

re·trieve | \ ri-ˈtrēv

retrieved; retrieving

Definition of retrieve

(Entry 1 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to locate and bring in (killed or wounded game)

2 : to call to mind again

3 : to get back again : regain

4a : rescue, salvage

b : to return (something, such as a ball or shuttlecock that is difficult to reach) successfully

5 : restore, revive his writing retrieves the past

6 : to remedy the evil consequences of : correct

7 : to get and bring back especially : to recover from storage retrieve information

intransitive verb

: to bring in game a dog that retrieves well also : to bring back an object thrown by a person

retrieve

noun

Definition of retrieve (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : retrieval

2 : the successful return of a ball that is difficult to reach or control (as in tennis)

Other Words from retrieve Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about retrieve

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Other Words from retrieve

Verb

retrievability \ ri-ˌtrē-və-ˈbi-lə-tē

\ noun

retrievable \ ri-ˈtrē-və-bəl

\ adjective

Examples of retrieve in a Sentence

Verb

Many archaeological relics were retrieved from the site. Police retrieved his stolen car. You can quickly retrieve data. The files were retrieved from the computer. He was able to retrieve the document. The dog is learning how to retrieve. The dog has been trained to retrieve birds.

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

In most cases, surgery can be performed to either reverse these blockages or to retrieve sperm directly from the epididymis and testicles. — Jennifer Gerson, Marie Claire, "Can Men Cause Fertility Issues?," 1 Oct. 2018 The victim, who was feeling uneasy, saw Grant don gardening gloves retrieved from his car's trunk, court records show. — Nathan J. Fish, azcentral, "Records: Man threatens friend with knife, shoots as he flees," 14 May 2018 SpaceX is also likely to try to retrieve one-half of the Falcon 9 rocket's payload fairing. — Eric Berger, Ars Technica, "SpaceX has landed on the West Coast for the first time [Updated]," 7 Oct. 2018 Police retrieved a pair of bloody coveralls from Furrow but later destroyed them without testing them, Fletcher said. — Bob Egelko, SFChronicle.com, "Gov. Jerry Brown hints at new DNA testing in Kevin Cooper murder case," 3 July 2018 During the fight, Albright retrieved a bat from a vehicle and struck the victim on the head, police said. — Abigail Feldman, BostonGlobe.com, "Six arrested in Manchester, N.H., after fight leaves one man injured," 2 July 2018 The man, believed to be in his 30s, broke away from the group about 3:30 p.m. to try to retrieve a tube that had floated away near the river's Blue Point Bridge, MSCO spokesman Sgt. — Brieanna J Frank, azcentral, "Man drowns while tubing on Salt River, Sheriff's Office says," 3 June 2018 Butler retrieved the gun from her on his arrival, the warrant says. — Hanna Krueger, NOLA.com, "Man arrested in shooting sparked by cellphone dispute: warrant," 18 May 2018 Police retrieved a pair of bloody coveralls from Furrow but later destroyed them without testing them, Fletcher said. — Bob Egelko, San Francisco Chronicle, "Momentum grows to re-examine California case of convicted Death Row inmate," 18 May 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The event featured a big air, extreme vertical, speed retrieve and iron dog competitions. — Lindsey Salvatelli, Lake County News-Sun, "High-flying dogs make a splash at Libertyville Dog Days," 8 July 2018 Both are short, fat floaters that wobble down to a foot or two on a steady retrieve. — Joe Songer, AL.com, "See video of a turkey hunter calling up a bobcat," 30 Apr. 2018 Make contact with the rocks on the high bluff sides and then slow your retrieve. — Tyler Mahoney Special To The Star, kansascity, "Fishing report: Uneven weather makes for mixed results on the water | The Kansas City Star," 28 Mar. 2018 Some anglers use a larger, lightly weighted swimbait to catch these guys, allowing it to flutter down through the surface action before starting the retrieve. — Frank Sargeant, AL.com, "Find the bait, find the bass," 30 Aug. 2017 Too slow a retrieve gives the fish too much time to shake off. — Mark Yuasa, The Seattle Times, "Lake trout, rainbows and kokanee top the “to do” list of fishing activities around Lake Chelan," 19 May 2017 Too fast a retrieve allows the fish leverage to tear off the hooks. — Mark Yuasa, The Seattle Times, "Lake trout, rainbows and kokanee top the “to do” list of fishing activities around Lake Chelan," 19 May 2017 Minnich said the best way to fish it for shallow-water reds is with a steady retrieve. — Todd Masson, NOLA.com, "This trout lure even better for redfish, angler says," 17 May 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'retrieve.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.