recollect 1 of 2

Definition of recollectnext

re-collect

2 of 2

verb (2)

1
as in to contain
to gain emotional or mental control of she had to calm down and re-collect herself after being told she had won the lottery

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in to retrieve
to get again in one's possession I struggled to re-collect the papers the wind had torn from my hands

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word recollect distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of recollect are recall, remember, remind, and reminisce. While all these words mean "to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind," recollect implies a bringing back to mind what is lost or scattered.

as near as I can recollect

When can recall be used instead of recollect?

While in some cases nearly identical to recollect, recall suggests an effort to bring back to mind and often to re-create in speech.

can't recall the words of the song

When is remember a more appropriate choice than recollect?

While the synonyms remember and recollect are close in meaning, remember implies a keeping in memory that may be effortless or unwilled.

remembers that day as though it were yesterday

Where would remind be a reasonable alternative to recollect?

The words remind and recollect can be used in similar contexts, but remind suggests a jogging of one's memory by an association or similarity.

that reminds me of a story

In what contexts can reminisce take the place of recollect?

In some situations, the words reminisce and recollect are roughly equivalent. However, 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 recollect
Verb
That suits the artless, unfiltered way Yo describes her life, spending a fair amount of time recollecting her own childhood. Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026 Those are words that penetrate, ones that recollect certain names and call forth our senses. Hannah Benson, Los Angeles Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
With photonic cooling, the light emitted via anti-Stokes fluorescence can be recovered by re-collecting the light into fiber-optic cables and then converting it to electricity through thermophotovoltaics, leading to upwards of 60 percent energy recovery. IEEE Spectrum, 16 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for recollect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recollect
Verb
  • Fans may remember Antonoff and Qualley's 2023 New Jersey wedding because Swift attended.
    Bryan West, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Was remembers the tumult, violence and hope that came out of that era in his hometown of Detroit.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • Pomegranates also contain vitamin K and folate, which can help support healthy blood clotting and cell growth, respectively.
    Daryl Austin, USA Today, 2 July 2026
  • The Lineage warehouse, built in 2018, is likely to contain different materials of concern.
    Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Do not try to relight or retrieve fireworks that have not fully ignited.
    Stephen J. Beard, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • The police report details a harrowing scene where Bland instructed one of the children in the home to retrieve a knife, but the child claimed to not know why.
    Robert McGreevy, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • Teammate Jordan Henderson, now at his fourth World Cup, recalled Kane scoring twice in the opener against Croatia to match Lineker and mistakenly thought this mark was already in Kane’s sole possession.
    Stephen Whyno, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
  • Amon recalled facing questions in 2021 about why Qualcomm was chasing so many rabbits at once, between developing its automotive business, its PC chips and industrial applications.
    Phil Wahba, Fortune, 27 June 2026
Verb
  • One concern on Wall Street is that AI models that quickly compose code might threaten mature software companies.
    Jordan Novet, CNBC, 2 July 2026
  • Earlier this month, a bipartisan bill introduced in the House proposed establishing an independent commission composed of 13 members appointed by leaders in Congress and the president.
    Max Zahn, ABC News, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • The user’s second-largest bet is a $61,000 wager that Ukraine will recapture Crimea by the end of the year, an outcome the market believes has only a 12% chance of occurring.
    Siladitya Ray, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • How Many Calories Rucking Burns The calorie math is what hooks many newcomers, particularly men in their 40s trying to recapture lost ground.
    Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 1 July 2026
Verb
  • The satellite is equipped with three multiwavelength telescopes that are able to collect data in visible, ultraviolet, X-ray and gamma-ray light.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 June 2026
  • Charlotte Big Anime opened its doors to a massive crowd of attendees Saturday at the Charlotte Convention Center in uptown Charlotte, giving people a chance to connect with fellow cosplayers, collect art and enjoy a multitude of panels.
    Zaire Breedlove, Charlotte Observer, 28 June 2026
Verb
  • Make sure the tires reconnect with the road - During the skid, wait until the tires reconnect with the road and then gently straighten the wheels to regain control.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 July 2026
  • So too would her chances of eventually becoming majority leader or eventually even Speaker of the House if the Democrats can regain control of the institution.
    Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 4 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Recollect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recollect. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on recollect

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster