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
Some commenters recalled seeing the vessel as far back as 1967, while others recognized its location along the Lake Superior shoreline. — Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026 Mark Attanasio recalled how his son delivered $700 to a family in need. — Bill Shaikin, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026
Noun
Consumers are encouraged to toss any items on the recall list, or return them. — Eva Flowe october 21, Charlotte Observer, 21 Oct. 2026 The nationwide recall impacts Barbie, Crayola, Hot Wheels and My Little Pony oral care products for children, among others. — Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recall
Verb
  • And just remember that ​question for ⁠a couple of days from now, okay?
    — Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 21 Oct. 2026
  • Just remember that apps bypassing the VPN will expose your regular public IP address.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Von Ferdinand had allegedly canceled all of her other appointments.
    — Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • The program cancels outstanding debt for eligible borrowers who make 120 monthly payments, or 10 years of participation.
    — Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The anecdote offered a glimpse into Pollak's recollections of Torn's off-camera behavior.
    — Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
  • That call ran about 44 minutes, by Zuckerberg’s recollection.
    — Emma Witman, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Airport attacks in the capital city of Riyadh led to multiple fatalities, flight cancellations and property damage, while facilities belonging to oil giant Saudi Aramco were targeted last week.
    — Chloe Taylor, CNBC, 20 Oct. 2026
  • High tides over the summer resulted in train cancellations and emergency repairs to the rail line.
    — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Many hotels have abandoned single-use amenities, and the JW Marriott has followed that move by installing refillable shampoo and other containers.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Fallen trees blocked forest roads, snow forced them to abandon some attempts and return later, and on one climb, a navigation error sent them up the wrong side of the peak.
    — Harllie Stevenson, Idaho Statesman, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • In the brain, for example, elevated stress hormones can impair learning and memory by flooding the hippocampus with excitatory chemical signals.
    — Maia Szalavitz, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • Global smartphone shipments fell 20% in the third quarter of 2026, the weakest third quarter since 2012, according to Counterpoint Research, as rising memory-chip costs pushed up phone prices.
    — Sam Birchall, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Voters, though, decisively defeated a repeal measure in 1942.
    — Jeremy Kohler, ProPublica, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Several Florida residents traveled to the meeting to voice their support for Ladapo and the vaccine repeal, thanking him for standing up for parents’ rights and even asking him for a selfie.
    — Ana Goñi-Lessan, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • In another depressing week for the UK’s public broadcaster, there were more cuts, talk of even more cuts and programs scrapped, as the BBC’s desperate bid to make the books work continues under former Google EMEA chief Matt Brittin.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 23 Oct. 2026
  • Yet Brazil’s count runs partially on the kind of paperless machines that the president has vowed to scrap.
    — Solly Boussidan, FOXNews.com, 23 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Recall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recall. Accessed 25 Oct. 2026.

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