Definition of recallnext
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
As the officers recall the incident, Hondo focuses on finding out who the mole is and how to proceed with this information. — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 25 Sep. 2026 Speaking en route to France, the American pope reiterated his support for press freedom while recalling his opposition to Trump’s position on the Iran war. — Nicole Winfield, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Noun
The agency said more products and labels could be added to the recall as officials continue to gather information. — ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026 Here's what to know about the Jaguar Land Rover recall, including what models are impacted and what car owners should do. — Greta Cross, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recall
Verb
  • And like Crane, Pavese’s influence is now less felt than remembered.
    — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Panettiere’s ex-partner, former Olympic and world boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko, paid tribute to Panettiere and vowed to make sure their daughter Kaya would always remember her mother.
    — Holly Yan, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Grande’s character was killed off in the first season, and the series was canceled after two seasons.
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 24 Sep. 2026
  • But the show was on the air for only eight months before it was canceled earlier this year; the station cited difficulty selling ads.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 24 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The narrative starts with Said’s recollection of his early years in Palestine and his family exile to Egypt.
    — Murtada Elfadl, Variety, 16 Sep. 2026
  • His recollections often take the form of dialogues in which interlocutors meekly acknowledge his overwhelming rhetorical advantage.
    — Ian Parker, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The cast, who had been supportive of Paul’s controversy and mental-health struggles before the cancellation, were appalled at a video leaked in March of Paul throwing a stool at her ex, Dakota Mortensen, that almost hit her young daughter.
    — Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Airline commitments for meals, hotels, and ground transportation generally apply when a cancellation or delay is considered within the carrier’s control, although individual airlines can choose to provide more assistance.
    — Bailey Berg, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The poem is about this tendency toward earth, the temptation—the closest thing to bliss in these poems—to abandon yourself to the funk of the soil and the heat of the sun.
    — Max Norman, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
  • Hnin Aye abandoned her plan to fly to Singapore and opted to cross the border illegally into Thailand.
    — Andrew Nachemson, The Dial, 22 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The backstory For most of my life, the Old Dutch Inn has been just a faint memory of kicking my legs from a bar stool, drinking a Shirley Temple next to my late grandmother, who would likely have been nursing a gin and tonic.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Players often downplay symptoms to stay on the field—and many signs of brain trauma, such as headaches, memory problems and fatigue, are easy to hide.
    — Alexandra Pattillo, Scientific American, 23 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The dismissal comes just months after the Connecticut legislature voted to pass legislation clarifying its repeal of the religious exemption — a move that drew heated criticism from Republicans.
    — Katy Golvala, Hartford Courant, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The broader repeal, first proposed by the EPA last year, argues the federal government does not have authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants on the basis of climate change.
    — Spencer Kimball, CNBC, 14 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Earlier this month, Santa Monica’s inaugural Ocean Way Festival was scrapped amid dangerous high surf and flooding caused by Hurricane Marie across Southern California.
    — Charisma Madarang, Rolling Stone, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Among them, Ed Sheeran scrapped stops at Gillette Stadium including shows set for Friday and Saturday night in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
    — Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Recall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recall. Accessed 26 Sep. 2026.

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