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

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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 cancelation
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
The value of experience is less about recalling the right answer and more about knowing what to ask next. —Nirit Cohen, Forbes.com, 14 Sep. 2025 Eyewitnesses recalled seeing numerous victims left trapped inside one of the burning vehicles, according to Diario de Yucatán. —Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025
Noun
Epoca wants consumers to unplug the fridge and register for the recall online on Epoca’s recall page. —David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 11 Sep. 2025 There were three major recalls between the end of August and the start of September. —Jenna Anderson, Health, 11 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for recall
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recall
  1. remember
  2. cancel
  3. recollection
  4. abandon
  5. memory
  6. cancellation
  7. scrap
  8. repeal
Verb
  • Just remember, tents do not offer protection from lightning.
    — KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Because, remember, the people power is the ultimate power.
    — Ashley Hume, FOXNews.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of remember
Verb
  • Mahtomedi High School officials canceled Friday night’s football game against Bloomington Kennedy, saying the Washington County Sheriff’s Office had advised them to do so due to ongoing law enforcement activity in the area.
    — Kristi Miller, Twin Cities, 20 Sep. 2025
  • On social media, people have posted photos of them canceling their subscriptions to streaming services Disney Plus and Hulu in support of Kimmel.
    — Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 20 Sep. 2025
Definition of cancel
Noun
  • Their connection was intense, in Cheryl’s recollection.
    — Julie Tremaine, PEOPLE, 14 Sep. 2025
  • As with many things in Moore’s young career, her big moment happened quickly, blurring her recollection of some of the details.
    — Tamerra Griffin, New York Times, 10 Sep. 2025
Definition of recollection
Verb
  • The Tesla was taken to Hollywood Tow after a person reported that it had been abandoned, NBC Los Angeles previously reported.
    — Andrew Blankstein, NBC news, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The city finally towed the sedan after a citizen complained that the car had been abandoned for more than 72 hours.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of abandon
Noun
  • The dual rack solution will offer the same performance with an additional 50 TB of memory.
    — Jim McGregor, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025
  • The transformation holds even after the field is removed, giving the structure a form of memory.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 19 Sep. 2025
Definition of memory
Noun
  • The pocket rescission, therefore, flips the default control over cancellation of spending from the legislature to the executive.
    — Kevin R. Kosar, The Washington Examiner, 19 Sep. 2025
  • Despite the cancellation, the Royal Air Force's Red Arrows aerobatic team is still expected to perform a flyover later today, maintaining a key element of the ceremonial tribute.
    — Amanda Castro Hannah Parry Shane Croucher Jack Royston, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Sep. 2025
Definition of cancellation
Verb
  • The old-timey chain had recently scrapped major parts of its turnaround plan after right-wing backlash.
    — Ramishah Maruf, CNN Money, 17 Sep. 2025
  • Now, half a century later, federal regulators want to scrap the first major CRA update in more than thirty years and drag us back to the rules written in 1995.
    — Lenwood V. Long, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
Definition of scrap
Noun
  • The repeal of Prohibition in 1933 did not immediately solve the industry's problems, as distillers needed years to age new whiskey.
    — Maggie Menderski, Louisville Courier Journal, 16 Sep. 2025
  • Florida Republican lawmakers have been pushing for the repeal of a gun safety law passed after the Parkland massacre in 2018.
    — Robert Birsel, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Sep. 2025
Definition of repeal

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 22 Sep. 2025.

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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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