as in to summarize
to make into a short statement of the main points (as of a report) the professor told the students that their papers should not recapitulate the whole plot but should rather discuss in detail one particular incident they thought was interesting

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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 recapitulate The point of this closing demonstration seems to be that mature capitalism recapitulates its original sin with every new generation. Benjamin Kunkel, Harpers Magazine, 28 Mar. 2025 The Fourth Turning Is Here: What the Seasons of History Tell Us About How and When This Crisis Will End Howe’s book recapitulates his theory that a cyclical pattern underlies Anglo-American history. Barry Eichengreen, Foreign Affairs, 10 Dec. 2024 That left the scientists behind this new research wondering whether pain from Long Covid could also be recapitulated. Byjennifer Couzin-Frankel, science.org, 21 June 2024 Because they are seen as a critical step in a grand technological evolution in aviation that will recapitulate the migration, just beginning now, of the automotive industry from combustion engines to electric motors. IEEE Spectrum, 1 June 2018 See All Example Sentences for recapitulate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recapitulate
summarize
Verb
  • The letter summarized some of the work the Homeland and Mad Men director did while in one of Hollywood’s most influential roles for four years.
    Katie Kilkenny, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2025
  • To summarize the last few days, he was waived at the end of the Braves' season, passed through waivers, outrighted to Triple-A Gwinnett, and opted to leave the organization.
    Jackson Roberts, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Recapitulate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recapitulate. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.

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