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
Stephanie Fitzpatrick recalled the emotional impact of seeing the family's plea. Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 10 Apr. 2026 Stieve recalled learning the news via text. Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 10 Apr. 2026
Noun
Following reports from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of a multi-state outbreak of E. coli infections linked to raw dairy products, Raw Farm has issued a voluntary recall notice for some of its products. Michele Laufik, Martha Stewart, 9 Apr. 2026 The recall involves Granitestone Diamond Pro Blue Sauté Pans, specifically. Molly Burford, Southern Living, 7 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recall
Verb
  • Reasonableness, like tolerance, is best seen as a convention of restraint, sustained because everyone remembers, however vaguely, what happens when the treaty collapses.
    Nikhil Krishnan, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • This is a blueberry recipe to remember.
    Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The agency has reportedly cancelled or delayed more than a billion dollars of grants for programs like school desegregation and disability services.
    Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • In the video, Cardi B yelled at the top of her voice, threatening to cancel her concert.
    DeAsia Paige, AJC.com, 19 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • This mirrors what clinicians already do manually — pulling together notes, lab results, and patient recollections to reconstruct a narrative.
    Celina Yong, STAT, 16 Apr. 2026
  • Participants retrieved richer, more vivid details, including recollections of specific places, emotions and sensory perceptions.
    Utkarsh Gupta, Scientific American, 15 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • For maximum comfort and quiet, Beats Studio Pro Over-ear Headphones deliver effective noise cancellation that noticeably reduces engine hum and cabin chatter, making movies, music, and podcasts far more enjoyable.
    Samantha Leal, Travel + Leisure, 18 Apr. 2026
  • The Archdiocese of Miami is making a desperate plea to the federal government, asking it to reconsider the cancellation of an $11 million contract with Catholic Charities that funds a shelter for unaccompanied migrant children in South Florida.
    Abby Dodge, CBS News, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The three-block stretch, between 16th and 19th avenues, looks markedly different from just a year ago, when tents, abandoned cars and piles of trash crowded the street and sidewalks.
    Da Lin, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
  • What to read next The USSR withdraws troops from the border with Afghanistan, as Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev abandons invasion plans to focus his resources on the Space Race.
    Richard Edwards, Space.com, 17 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • As Cook exits, Apple faces numerous challenges, including an intricate supply chain that's complicated by geopolitical tensions and soaring prices for memory due to unprecedented demand from the AI buildout.
    Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 21 Apr. 2026
  • Not every prom night memory can or should be passed along to the grandkids.
    Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • But since repeal is unlikely to gain favor with California’s political leadership, serious consideration should be given to some sort of temporary suspension.
    Jon Coupal, Oc Register, 18 Apr. 2026
  • State lawmakers had a mixed response to the federal mining ban repeal for the Boundary Water Canoe Area Wilderness watershed, with some celebrating and others teary-eyed at the Capitol this week.
    Mary Murphy, Twin Cities, 17 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The vote delay comes after Johnson had already twice postponed a vote on extending FISA amid the GOP divisions, including back in March, when Johnson had to scrap plans to hold a vote on the FISA extension and reschedule it for a mid-April vote.
    Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Later that year, the DOJ also scrapped the requirement that airplane manufacturer Boeing have its own independent monitor.
    Ben Weiss, Fortune, 17 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Recall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recall. Accessed 24 Apr. 2026.

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