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
Durst recalled thinking of the musician who was playing a five-string bass, something the singer had never seen before. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 20 Oct. 2025 The sequencing, the dissolves, the rhythm of projection all recall the emotional power of the slideshow, that fragile form where photography and music meet to create something larger than either. Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2025
Noun
In August and September 2025, the FDA announced and expanded recalls for shrimp distributed by Southwind Foods LLC and Lawrence Wholesale LLC after tests found the radioactive chemical cesium-137 in select shipments from Indonesian supplier PT. Hollie Silverman, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025 Mesa recall aims to boot council member Mesa Councilmember Julie Spilsbury faces a recall election after a group of District 2 residents launched the effort in January to boot her off the city council. Maritza Dominguez, AZCentral.com, 4 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for recall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recall
Verb
  • Curry also remembered the future president being very eager for his then-girlfriend, Marla Maples, to be introduced to the film's director, Chris Columbus.
    Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Oct. 2025
  • The all-star game itself was a mishmash of unguarded dunks and 3-pointers and no one remembers who won.
    Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The brand canceled the show indefinitely in 2019 amid controversy surrounding representation and inclusivity.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 18 Oct. 2025
  • In recent years, some Wyandotte residents have tried to get the government to delay or cancel its tax sales, which usually happen twice a year, to prevent people who have struggled to pay sky-rocketing property tax bills from losing their family homes.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • What’s your recollection of the making of that track?
    Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 17 Oct. 2025
  • One of the best parts to it are the recollections from his Little Italy friends and relatives, many of whom served as inspiration for his sometimes unsavory characters.
    Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • As well as finding comfort on arrival, Smith is determined that those who move on do not feel abandoned.
    George Caulkin, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The novel can get busy—Taylor introduces each of Wyeth’s studio mates in the first chapter, then all but abandons half of them to squeeze in more significant characters—but there’s a warmth in the overcrowding.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Nuno’s habitual talk of ‘bonds’ and understanding feels like a distant memory.
    Paul Taylor, New York Times, 16 Oct. 2025
  • The Taliban evokes bitter memories in India.
    Happymon Jacob, Time, 16 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In the event of cancellation, Sponsor reserves the right to award prizes from among all eligible, non-suspect entries received prior to the event requiring such cancellation.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
  • Earlier this month, a group of nonprofits and solar installers filed a similar lawsuit over the program’s cancellation.
    Evan Bush, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • She was decommissioned in 1920 and scrapped in 1923, but her influence defined 20th-century naval architecture.
    Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2025
  • Aziz Ansari still hopes to finish Being Mortal, the comedy-drama film that would've marked his directorial debut had it not been scrapped in 2022 following an internal complaint and investigation into star Bill Murray.
    Jessica Wang, Entertainment Weekly, 18 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • The repeals still need to make it into the final version of the defense policy legislation hashed out both chambers, but the effort clearly has momentum.
    Morgan Chalfant, semafor.com, 17 Oct. 2025
  • Clearly, this is not a vote to support or repeal gerrymandering.
    Harvey Levine, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Recall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recall. Accessed 23 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on recall

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!