verb

recover

rih-KUH-vuh

verb

To get better after being ill, injured, or upset.

"It took him weeks to recover from the flu."

"The economy is slowly recovering from the recession."

To get back something that was lost, stolen, or taken.

"Police recovered the stolen paintings a year later."

To win compensation or a favorable result in a legal case.

"The company recovered damages from the supplier who breached the contract."

How to Use Recover

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo get better, or to get something back.

Common pairings

recover from illness recover stolen goods recover damages

Word Forms

recovered past tense, recovered past tense, recover plural, recovered plural, recovers plural, recovers singular, recover singular, recovered singular, recoverest singular, recoveredst singular, recovereth singular, recovers singular

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Can you complete this real example?

It took him weeks to _____ from the flu.

Etymology

From Old French recovrer, from Latin recuperare — the same root as recuperate.

Rhymes for recover

over cover lover hover Dover mover rover clover Hoover Grover glover Hanover

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