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
Now the court returned to the Erie doctrine which, it will be recalled, requires a federal court sitting in diversity jurisdiction to apply state substantive law but federal procedural law. Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025 Comments Midway through season 6 of Boy Meets World, Rider Strong recalls feeling tired of acting out dramatic storylines for his character Shawn Hunter. Daysia Tolentino, EW.com, 21 June 2025
Noun
In May, Zoox conducted two more recalls—first after an incident in which one of its robotaxis collided with a passenger vehicle in Las Vegas, and later another where a person on a scooter ran into one of its unoccupied taxis. Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 18 June 2025 Go to the above hyperlink to register for this recall and check instructions on how to get rid of the current power bank. David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 17 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for recall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recall
Verb
  • Sink Into a Hot Stone Bath For as long as anyone can remember, Bhutanese have treasured hot stone baths.
    JOE YOGERST, Forbes.com, 28 June 2025
  • Tinsley said consumers should remember that BNPL loans usually put them on a stricter repayment schedule than credit cards.
    Rachel Barber, USA Today, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • The Department of Transportation is free to update its guidance about how that program is administered moving forward, Lin wrote, but that does not require suspending the distribution of money — and should not involve canceling plans that were already approved.
    Camila Domonoske, NPR, 25 June 2025
  • Senate lawmakers from both parties clashed with Russell Vought, director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, on Wednesday over the Trump administration's proposal to cancel billions in federal spending on foreign aid, public broadcasting and global health programs.
    Sonam Sheth Gabe Whisnant, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • Trainwreck: Poop Cruise interviews several passengers and crew members who were on the Triumph that week, and their recollections are truly harrowing.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 25 June 2025
  • There’s a lot of essays about Oswalt’s youth and teen years in Virginia, and his recollections of working as a not terribly motivated young man in a movie theater are quite entertaining.
    Brian Boone, Vulture, 18 June 2025
Verb
  • To add insult to injury, Pfizer abandoned its plan just a few years after the Kelo decision, just as its tax breaks were about to expire and after about $80 million of taxpayer money was spent, and the land remains a vacant lot all these years later.
    The Editorial Board, Oc Register, 22 June 2025
  • While families may choose various savings tools, abandoning Florida’s institutions over political disagreements undermines the progress made by thousands of dedicated students, faculty and staff.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • This, in turn, can significantly impact a child’s mood, memory or attention.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
  • Whether stowed in a recipe tin, pasted in a book, or safely tucked away in a memory, family recipes are part of what makes cooking so special.
    Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • However, headsets aren’t just about noise cancellation.
    Mark Sparrow, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
  • However, the most promising of these, a mission named OSIRIS-Apex that breathes new life into an old spacecraft that otherwise would drift into oblivion, is slated for cancellation by the Trump White House's budget for fiscal year 2026.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 June 2025
Verb
  • In March 2024, JetBlue and Spirit scrapped a $3.8 billion merger agreement after a U.S. judge blocked the deal on anti-competition concerns.
    David Shepardson, USA Today, 26 June 2025
  • But the duo scrapped the brewery idea in Garden City.
    Nick Rosenberger, Idaho Statesman, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • The Trump administration has repeatedly warned green card holders, who are lawful permanent residents, that their stay in the country is not guaranteed and could be revoked if they are deemed a threat to national interests.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 June 2025
  • Advertisement In other cases, however, the Supreme Court has ruled in favor of the Administration on immigration, giving it legroom to revoke temporary legal protections and deport many migrants—including to countries other than their own.
    Solcyré Burga, Time, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

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