recite

verb

re·​cite ri-ˈsīt How to pronounce recite (audio)
recited; reciting
Synonyms of recite

transitive verb

1
: to repeat from memory or read aloud publicly
2
a
: to relate in full
recites dull anecdotes
b
: to give a recital of : detail
recited a catalog of offenses
3
: to repeat or answer questions about (a lesson)

intransitive verb

1
: to repeat or read aloud something memorized or prepared
2
: to reply to a teacher's question on a lesson
reciter noun

Synonyms of recite

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus

Examples of recite in a Sentence

He recited the poem with great feeling. He began to recite from the Koran. He can easily recite all the facts about any player on the team.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Enslaved people recited his poetry at posh parties thrown by their masters. — John Blake, CNN Money, 2 Aug. 2026 By noon, Taylor recited a dozen names of people from Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Venezuela who failed to show up. — ABC News, 1 Aug. 2026 Sacramento City Clerk Mindy Cuppy responded Tuesday to the outbursts by reciting government codes to bring the council meeting to a halt. — Steve Large, CBS News, 30 July 2026 Former Angels executives, however, can recite chapter and verse the difficulty of pleasing Moreno. — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for recite

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, to relate, state, from Anglo-French or Latin; Anglo-French reciter, from Latin recitare to recite, from re- + citare to summon — more at cite

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of recite was in the 15th century

Rhymes for recite

See All Rhymes for recite

Browse Nearby Words

recitativo
recite
reciter
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Recite.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recite. Accessed 3 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

recite

verb
re·​cite ri-ˈsīt How to pronounce recite (audio)
recited; reciting
1
: to repeat from memory or read aloud before an audience
recite a poem
2
: to tell all the details of
3
: to answer questions about a lesson
reciter noun

More from Merriam-Webster on recite

Nglish: Translation of recite for Spanish Speakers

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