retrieved; retrieving
1
: to locate and bring in (killed or wounded game)
2
: to call to mind again
3
: to get back again : regain
4
6
: to remedy the evil consequences of : correct
7
: to get and bring back
especially
: to recover from storage
retrieve information
: to bring in game
a dog that retrieves well
also
: to bring back an object thrown by a person
1
2
: the successful return of a ball that is difficult to reach or control (as in tennis)
Synonyms
Examples of retrieve in a Sentence
Verb
Many archaeological relics were retrieved from the site.
Police retrieved his stolen car.
You can quickly retrieve data.
The files were retrieved from the computer.
He was able to retrieve the document.
The dog is learning how to retrieve.
The dog has been trained to retrieve birds.
Recent Examples on the Web
Jackie Wattles, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
Having changed hands a number of times over the years, the rights and elements for the film were eventually retrieved in part through California bankruptcy court.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Authorities on Thursday afternoon retrieved a body from a trail.
—Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 4 Apr. 2024
Jones later returned to retrieve the bags from the garage while his mother was hosting a karaoke party.
—Judith Prieve, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 32 charges of violating the Espionage Act, with each count corresponding to a specific classified document that he is alleged to have retained after leaving office, as well as eight additional charges of obstructing government efforts to retrieve the materials.
—Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
Moving forward, researchers hope to explore whether the barcodes also activate when a bird is simply thinking about retrieving food from a specific cache, before taking any action.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2024
The team found that when a chickadee stored a seed, hippocampal neurons fired off in a sudden pattern that would later reactivate when the bird retrieved that specific food cache.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 29 Mar. 2024
Taking it one step further, there are tools that can retrieve critical information, like VIP status, upcoming birthdays, and satisfaction ratings, and automatically apply the appropriate tone to the customer conversation.
—Brad Birnbaum, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
David A. Rose, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2024
While a twitch here and there might induce a strike when fish are finicky, for the most part, a slow, steady retrieve is all that’s necessary.
—David A. Rose, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2024
Target shallow smallmouth hangouts like rocky points, ledges and outcroppings, and slow your retrieve as much as possible while maintaining your lure’s proper action.
—Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
The square bill and single-jointed construction of this surface lure allows for a walk-the-dog action on a simple, straightforward retrieve.
—Mark Modoski, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
In my experience, the fast retrieve often catches the stripers that turned their noses up at everything else.
—Jimmy Fee, Field & Stream, 13 Sep. 2023
Which is easier to train, a Lab or a golden retriever?
Both Labs and goldens can be trained to perform a wide range of tasks, from making multiple blind retrieves to working as seeing-eye or other types of service dogs.
—Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 21 Sep. 2023
Fishermen report allowing the 1-ounce barrel sinker to touch lake bottom before beginning their retrieve, with most strikes coming when the spinner rig is 2 to 4 feet off the bottom.
—cleveland, 20 July 2023
The long-stroke spool and one-piece bail fight tangles and promote orderly line lay on the retrieve.
—Morgan Lyle, Field & Stream, 4 May 2023
Verb
Crews aboard the recovery ships Liberty Star and Freedom Star retrieve a reusable right solid rocket booster (below) after a space shuttle mission.
—Jackie Wattles, CNN, 5 Apr. 2024
Having changed hands a number of times over the years, the rights and elements for the film were eventually retrieved in part through California bankruptcy court.
—Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2024
Authorities on Thursday afternoon retrieved a body from a trail.
—Chris Pandolfo, Fox News, 4 Apr. 2024
Jones later returned to retrieve the bags from the garage while his mother was hosting a karaoke party.
—Judith Prieve, The Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2024
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 32 charges of violating the Espionage Act, with each count corresponding to a specific classified document that he is alleged to have retained after leaving office, as well as eight additional charges of obstructing government efforts to retrieve the materials.
—Devlin Barrett, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
Moving forward, researchers hope to explore whether the barcodes also activate when a bird is simply thinking about retrieving food from a specific cache, before taking any action.
—Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2024
The team found that when a chickadee stored a seed, hippocampal neurons fired off in a sudden pattern that would later reactivate when the bird retrieved that specific food cache.
—Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 29 Mar. 2024
Taking it one step further, there are tools that can retrieve critical information, like VIP status, upcoming birthdays, and satisfaction ratings, and automatically apply the appropriate tone to the customer conversation.
—Brad Birnbaum, Forbes, 27 Mar. 2024
Noun
This allows the bait to fall straight and fast through the water column, as well ride true during a steady retrieve or when rip-jigging.
—David A. Rose, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2024
While a twitch here and there might induce a strike when fish are finicky, for the most part, a slow, steady retrieve is all that’s necessary.
—David A. Rose, Field & Stream, 20 Mar. 2024
Target shallow smallmouth hangouts like rocky points, ledges and outcroppings, and slow your retrieve as much as possible while maintaining your lure’s proper action.
—Jordan Rodriguez, Idaho Statesman, 31 Jan. 2024
The square bill and single-jointed construction of this surface lure allows for a walk-the-dog action on a simple, straightforward retrieve.
—Mark Modoski, Field & Stream, 4 Jan. 2024
In my experience, the fast retrieve often catches the stripers that turned their noses up at everything else.
—Jimmy Fee, Field & Stream, 13 Sep. 2023
Which is easier to train, a Lab or a golden retriever?
Both Labs and goldens can be trained to perform a wide range of tasks, from making multiple blind retrieves to working as seeing-eye or other types of service dogs.
—Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, 21 Sep. 2023
Fishermen report allowing the 1-ounce barrel sinker to touch lake bottom before beginning their retrieve, with most strikes coming when the spinner rig is 2 to 4 feet off the bottom.
—cleveland, 20 July 2023
The long-stroke spool and one-piece bail fight tangles and promote orderly line lay on the retrieve.
—Morgan Lyle, Field & Stream, 4 May 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'retrieve.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near retrieve
Cite this Entry
“Retrieve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrieve. Accessed 17 Apr. 2024.
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