recalled; recalling; recalls

transitive verb

1
2
a
: to call back
was recalled to active duty
a pitcher recalled from the minors
b
: to bring back to mind
recalled seeing her somewhere before
c
: to remind one of : resemble
a playwright who recalls the Elizabethan dramatists
3
recaller noun
1
: a call to return
a recall of workers after a layoff
2
: the right or procedure by which an official may be removed by vote of the people
3
: remembrance of what has been learned or experienced
4
: the act of revoking
5
: a public call by a manufacturer for the return of a product that may be defective or contaminated
Choose the Right Synonym for recall

remember, recollect, recall, remind, reminisce mean to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind.

remember implies a keeping in memory that may be effortless or unwilled.

remembers that day as though it were yesterday

recollect implies a bringing back to mind what is lost or scattered.

as near as I can 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

remind suggests a jogging of one's memory by an association or similarity.

that reminds me of a story

reminisce implies a casual often nostalgic recalling of experiences long past and gone.

old college friends like to reminisce

Examples of recall in a Sentence

Verb She wanted to send him a letter but couldn't recall his address. I don't recall what time they said they would be here. It is important to recall that not very long ago cell phones did not exist.
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.
Verb
Theater historian Walter James MacQueen-Pope, whose name alone weaves a pattern in Harris tweed, recalls being a kid and having the ultimate seasonal threat dangled overhead: behave, or no panto for you. The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 18 Dec. 2024 Additionally in November, Volkswagen recalled over 114,000 vehicles across the U.S. due to concerns over the risk of an airbag exploding. Tim Ryan, Newsweek, 18 Dec. 2024
Noun
The recall says these oysters were harvested in British Columbia between Dec. 1-9 by the company Pacific Northwest Shellfish and Union Bay Seafood. Fernando Cervantes Jr., USA TODAY, 19 Dec. 2024 The recall began across Washington on December 12, with the FDA announcing on December 16 that the products may have also been shipped to Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York—and potential other states as well. Benedict Cosgrove, Newsweek, 19 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for recall 

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1565, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of recall was in 1565

Dictionary Entries Near recall

Cite this Entry

“Recall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recall. Accessed 2 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

recall

1 of 2 verb
1
: cancel sense 2a, revoke
recalled the order
2
a
: to call back
soldiers recalled to active duty
recalled cars with brake problems
b
: to bring back to mind : remember
recalled seeing her somewhere before
1
: a command to return
2
: a way in which a public official may be removed from office by vote of the people
3
: remembrance of what has been learned or experienced
4
: the act of canceling (as an order)
5
: a call by a manufacturer for the return of a product that may be defective or contaminated

Medical Definition

: remembrance of what has been previously learned or experienced

Legal Definition

1
: a call to return
a recall of workers
2
: the right or procedure by which an official may be removed by vote of the people
a recall petition
3
: the act of revoking
4
: a public call by a manufacturer for the return of a defective or especially unsafe product

More from Merriam-Webster on recall

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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