recall 1 of 2

Definition of recallnext

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

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
Velasquez said Chait placed a strong emphasis on communication, recalling that district leaders recently sent administrators guidance on reassuring families that schools would remain safe and functioning. Teresa Liu, Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026 In an exclusive on-camera interview with Fox News Digital, Purdy recalled the moment everything shifted. Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Noun
Have any injuries been reported in connection with the recall? Cailey Gleeson, jsonline.com, 5 Mar. 2026 Here's what to know about the recalls in Oklahoma. Josh Kelly, Oklahoman, 5 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recall
Verb
  • Does anybody remember Ali Hassan al-Majid?
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Mar. 2026
  • Jaxson Hayes remembered the bruising the Lakers got at Madison Square Garden a month ago when the New York Knicks bullied them on the boards, outscored them by 14 in the second half and had six players score in double figures.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Naval air stations in the Central Valley city of Lemoore and El Centro in Imperial County canceled public air shows planned for this month out of safety concerns.
    Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2026
  • To avoid this, cancel and sign in to YouTube on your computer.
    Jack Fink, CBS News, 8 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Those conversations with Harper and Judge will be Eldridge’s core recollections from this day, but the 21-year-old also made a couple of plays worth remembering.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 4 Mar. 2026
  • During Kim’s time on the stand on Monday, a prosecutor repeatedly challenged his recollection of the rehearsal of the killing.
    Sean Emery, Oc Register, 3 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • In the event of cancellation, Sponsor will award the Prize in a drawing from among all eligible, non-suspect entries received prior to cancellation.
    AJC.com, AJC.com, 6 Mar. 2026
  • Those cancellations—including in key hubs such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Doha—have stranded hundreds of thousands of travelers in the area.
    Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 6 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • But the island seems as forlorn and abandoned as any time since the fall of the Soviet Union.
    Patrick Oppmann, CNN Money, 7 Mar. 2026
  • Friday’s race was a replacement for the downhill five weeks ago at Swiss resort Crans-Montana, abandoned after Vonn crashed and tore the ACL in her left knee.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The baseball powerhouse drew two of the highest game viewerships in recent memory.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 11 Mar. 2026
  • From glass sculptures to abstract collages, the artists grapple with memory, home and survival in the aftermath of displacement.
    Grant Klarich Johnson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Years later, Meridian Mayor Robert Simison was still urging a full repeal of the bill.
    Mark Dee March 6, Idaho Statesman, 7 Mar. 2026
  • One is the repeal of the tax breaks, and another is designed to protect consumers from paying for infrastructure costs associated with serving the hulking computing centers.
    Kristi Swartz, AJC.com, 7 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Earlier Friday, Takaichi’s governing Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner Japan Innovation Party submitted a proposal calling for scrapping restrictions on lethal weapons sales, in a further break from Japan's postwar pacifist principle.
    ABC News, ABC News, 6 Mar. 2026
  • The term refers to previous Republican efforts to scrap large parts of the ACA and replace it with something new.
    Greg Iacurci, CNBC, 6 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Recall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recall. Accessed 11 Mar. 2026.

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