recall 1 of 2

verb

ri-ˈkȯl How to pronounce recall (audio)
Definition of recallnext
1
as in to remember
to bring back to mind I don't recall meeting you before

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to cancel
to put an end to (something planned or previously agreed to) I'll recall my purchase order if the company refuses to guarantee that it'll arrive before Christmas

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

recall

2 of 2

noun

ri-ˈkȯl How to pronounce recall (audio)
1
as in recollection
a particular act or instance of recalling or the thing remembered his recall of the events of that turbulent time is significantly different from the accounts of other eyewitnesses

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in cancellation
the act of putting an end to something planned or previously agreed to we can't get a refund on the plane tickets, so the trip is beyond recall

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word recall distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of recall are recollect, remember, remind, and reminisce. While all these words mean "to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind," recall suggests an effort to bring back to mind and often to re-create in speech.

can't recall the words of the song

In what contexts can recollect take the place of recall?

The words recollect and recall are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, recollect implies a bringing back to mind what is lost or scattered.

as near as I can recollect

When can remember be used instead of recall?

The meanings of remember and recall largely overlap; however, remember implies a keeping in memory that may be effortless or unwilled.

remembers that day as though it were yesterday

When is it sensible to use remind instead of recall?

Although the words remind and recall have much in common, remind suggests a jogging of one's memory by an association or similarity.

that reminds me of a story

When could reminisce be used to replace recall?

While in some cases nearly identical to recall, 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 recall
Verb
James shook his head and laughed recalling those moments. —Broderick Turner, Los Angeles Times, 14 Feb. 2026 Tress’s approach during this period recalls that of his friend and mentor Duane Michals, another maverick. —Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2026
Noun
The recall report notes that water can enter the electrical rear door switches under certain conditions. —Alex Perry, Cincinnati Enquirer, 10 Feb. 2026 But Ford did end the year with a record 153 recalls. —Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recall
  1. remember
  2. cancel
  3. recollection
  4. cancellation
  5. abandon
  6. memory
  7. repeal
  8. scrap
Verb
  • His tenure at the top can be remembered for an infamous photograph of him eating a bacon sandwich while campaigning in the 2014 local elections.
    — Timothy Nerozzi, The Washington Examiner, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Let’s rephrase that, if only because 100 years ago, nobody had remembered to invent the Hall of Fame yet.
    — Jayson Stark, New York Times, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of remember
Verb
  • Airlines canceled flights and cultural events were postponed as Cuba endures its worst fuel shortage in years, harming tourism and the broader economy.
    — Andrea Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times, 15 Feb. 2026
  • But with one principal calling football worse than bull fighting, high school games were cancelled in Kansas City in 1906 and 1907 and there was talk of replacing it with soccer football.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Feb. 2026
Definition of cancel
Noun
  • The court hearings make evident that Hein’s memories of his youth sharply differ from the recollections shared by witnesses.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026
  • Although his bitter and often hilarious takedowns of enemies are juicy, Evans’s surprisingly tender recollections of dear friends are even better.
    — Hadley Hall Meares, Vanity Fair, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of recollection
Noun
  • Delays and cancellations in plane travel were also caused by air traffic control issues, which won't happen this time around since the shutdown won't pertain to the Transportation Department.
    — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The move, however, came after layoffs at HHS’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration and the whipsaw cancellation and restoration of $2 billion in funding for its programs in January.
    — Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of cancellation
Verb
  • One is that OpenAI’s board has apparently abandoned its mission of safety.
    — Alnoor Ebrahim, The Conversation, 13 Feb. 2026
  • The tech mogul, who helped found OpenAI, sued Altman and the company in 2024, accusing them of abandoning the firm’s founding values and manipulating him into investing in the ChatGPT maker.
    — Julia Shapero, The Hill, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of abandon
Noun
  • The movie would not ultimately get made, but her work on it colors her memories of early motherhood.
    — Rebecca Traister, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026
  • Lee wasn’t around, then, to see the Hornets nearly fully erase a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit, turning the reins over to assistant Lamar Skeeter to finish out one of the craziest nights in uptown in recent memory.
    — Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026
Definition of memory
Noun
  • But the lack of bigger tax cuts does not inherently make the grocery tax repeal bad.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 Feb. 2026
  • In 2014, the New York Times published a six-part series arguing for a repeal on the federal marijuana ban, comparing the government’s treatment of cannabis to the prohibition on alcohol in the 1920s.
    — Elaine Mallon, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of repeal
Verb
  • Originally envisioned as a musical, Williams was tasked with writing original songs with lyricist Leslie Bricusse before the idea was scrapped.
    — Alex Galbraith, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Feb. 2026
  • Suburban leaders indicated the mix of power sharing and new money could be enough to persuade the likes of Plano and Irving to scrap looming withdrawal elections in the nick of time, with just days before some counties finalize May ballots.
    — Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of scrap

Browse Nearby Words

recalculating
recall
recalled
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Cite this Entry

“Recall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recall. Accessed 17 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on recall

Nglish: Translation of recall for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about recall

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