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
At Luftgekühlt, Brundage recalled seeing a family arrive in an older Porsche with two young children. — Chris Hardesty, AJC.com, 16 Oct. 2026 Valentino would create the draping himself by hand, one pleat at a time, Giammetti recalled. — Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
Noun
Only one lot of the product is impacted by the recall, Pacific Health Sciences said in its announcement. — ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026 The recall affects 4-ounce bottles packaged inside boxes with oral syringes. — Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recall
Verb
  • Daisy says that no one even remembers that, though, that people only know about it because Hailey brings it up.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Al Hassan remembers showing a group of visitors TAMM’s feature for taking pictures and reporting potholes.
    — Inzamam Rashid, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Classes, activities and athletic events across Bend-La Pine Schools are canceled tomorrow, the district announced.
    — Phil Helsel, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Ossoff last year also pressed Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin for canceling public health and environmental grants.
    — Maydeen Merino, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The coupling of violence with law and order is ever present in the agent’s recollections, but tonally, the show feels light.
    — Stephanie Wambugu, Vulture, 12 Oct. 2026
  • And what begins as this idyllic ‘Prairie Home Companion’ recollection of this town’s beautiful history devolves into a sort of parable on xenophobia and colonization.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Measure recurring-donor acquisition by channel, conversion from one-time to monthly giving, early cancellation, retention, upgrades, additional gifts and net recurring revenue.
    — Yuriy Boyechko, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The milestone arrives at a precarious time for Australia’s festival sector, which has seen a wave of cancellations and closures in recent years amid rising costs and softening ticket sales.
    — Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 13 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Executives from ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, BP and TotalEnergies abandoned the event, the FT reported, due to the potential danger.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
  • In Peru, the world’s largest catcher of anchovies, the fishing industry collapsed after the tiny baitfish abandoned the country’s waters for cooler northern climes.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • The blue world on the paper and the dream-shapes of the music might well be one of those timeless memories of a child.
    — Yiyun Li, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2026
  • The experience highlighted how increasingly sophisticated consumer products require more computing power and memory, creating additional opportunities for chipmakers.
    — Alexa LoMonaco, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • 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
  • States and cities have already sued over the repeal of the power plant rule.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Gartner expects more than 40% of agentic AI projects, which are projects built on AI that acts on its own rather than waiting for instructions, to be scrapped by the end of 2027, citing escalating costs and unclear business value among the reasons.
    — Ciaran Cosgrave, Forbes.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Lionsgate eventually pivoted to turning Ascendant into a TV movie for Starz that could launch a spinoff series, but the plan was scrapped after the cast, including Woodley and James, declined to return for a television format.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Recall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recall. Accessed 18 Oct. 2026.

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