recall 1 of 2

recall

2 of 2

noun

1
as in recollection
a particular act or instance of recalling or the thing remembered his recall of the events of that turbulent time is significantly different from the accounts of other eyewitnesses

Synonyms & Similar Words

2

Synonym Chooser

How is the word recall distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of recall are recollect, remember, remind, and reminisce. While all these words mean "to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind," recall suggests an effort to bring back to mind and often to re-create in speech.

can't recall the words of the song

In what contexts can recollect take the place of recall?

The words recollect and recall are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, recollect implies a bringing back to mind what is lost or scattered.

as near as I can recollect

When can remember be used instead of recall?

The meanings of remember and recall largely overlap; however, remember implies a keeping in memory that may be effortless or unwilled.

remembers that day as though it were yesterday

When is it sensible to use remind instead of recall?

Although the words remind and recall have much in common, remind suggests a jogging of one's memory by an association or similarity.

that reminds me of a story

When could reminisce be used to replace recall?

While in some cases nearly identical to recall, reminisce implies a casual often nostalgic recalling of experiences long past and gone.

old college friends like to reminisce

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of recall
Verb
The Royals recalled right-handed pitcher Jonathan Bowlan in a corresponding move. Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 27 July 2025 Darwin Barney, Shaw recalls with a chuckle, snubbed him for an autograph. Mitch Bannon, New York Times, 27 July 2025
Noun
No other New Mexico Piñon Coffee products are affected by this recall. Emily Kay Votruba, EverydayHealth.com, 25 July 2025 The manufacturer Mondelēz Global LLC announced the voluntary recall on July 8. Alia Shoaib, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for recall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recall
Verb
  • He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late-night television.
    Jack Dunn, Variety, 22 July 2025
  • Just remember to eat a balanced diet, too—this is a supplement, after all!
    Simon Hill, Wired News, 10 July 2025
Verb
  • Since 1962, the game has been canceled only three times: in 2011 (lockout), 2016 (bad field conditions) and 2020 (pandemic).
    Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 31 July 2025
  • Peru Peru’s national emergency center has canceled tsunami alerts for the country’s entire coast as of 9:15 p.m. local time (10:15 p.m. ET).
    Chad de Guzman, Time, 31 July 2025
Noun
  • The book seeks to answer this query by recasting personal writing as a conversation between recollection and amnesia.
    Rachel Vorona Cote, The Atlantic, 15 July 2025
  • Invoking Pettis Norman’s name might summon recollections of Jimmie Lee Kirkpatrick, who transferred from Second Ward High School to Myers Park to break the city’s color line and whose football prowess later led to the desegregation of the Shrine Bowl.
    Charlotte Observer, Charlotte Observer, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • Minority languages were banned in schools, tribal leaders were silenced, and communities were pressured to abandon their heritage and conform to a rigid Persian identity.
    Jila Andalib, Hartford Courant, 28 July 2025
  • Elliott likewise pressed Hyundai to abandon its own restructuring effort and increase its dividend, again using financial discipline as a wedge to improve governance and transparency.
    Marc Cooper, Forbes.com, 28 July 2025
Noun
  • Using cannabis before age 25 may also harm the developing brain, potentially affecting memory, attention, and decision-making.3 Moreover, today’s cannabis is far more potent than what older users remember, said Ziva Cooper, PhD, research director of the UCLA Center for Cannabis and Cannabinoids.
    Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 14 July 2025
  • This creative liberty helped expand the scope of his story, pushing the boundaries of what storytelling can look like in a future shaped by technology and ancestral memory.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • Operations returned to normal Saturday morning, with only 35 delays and 31 cancellations reported.
    Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 2 Aug. 2025
  • The slow confirmation process has prompted some Republican senators, like Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT), to call for the cancellation of recess.
    David Zimmermann, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • But in June, the city officially scrapped its plans for the art installation after declining to immediately remove lead found in the tower, Johnson said in a Wednesday phone interview.
    Ishani Desai, Sacbee.com, 1 Aug. 2025
  • An unusual rollout plan to release the sequel just seven weeks after the first was scrapped after the movie, made for roughly $100 million, grossed $38 million worldwide.
    Winston Cho, HollywoodReporter, 1 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The bill would revoke an exemption on ADS-B transmission requests for Department of Defense aircraft.
    Landon Mion, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025
  • De Moraes revoked Bolsonaro’s passport and issued additional punishments to the leader who allegedly staged a coup with several dozen others following his 2022 electoral loss to President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.
    Kristina Karisch, The Hill, 31 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Recall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recall. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.

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