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 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
Raducanu, 22, recalled the intense situation at the BNP Paribas Open in Indian Wells, her first tournament since the incident took place. —Paulina Dedaj, Fox News, 5 Mar. 2025 Jack Osbourne recalls partying at 16 with Joshua Jackson during Dawson's Creek cameo: 'Lived it up!' Jackson portrayed Pacey across all six seasons of Dawson’s Creek, which also starred Van Der Beek, Katie Holmes, Michelle Williams, and Mary Beth Peil. —EW.com, 5 Mar. 2025
Noun
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has announced that Columbus Trading-Partners has issued a recall for several of its car seat and travel system products. —Elisabeth Sherman, Parents, 28 Feb. 2025 Despite Perez’s suffering in June 2019 — and although manufacturers had also received over 100 other reports of lid issues and 99 reports of burn injuries like the ones Perez sustained — Sunbeam and Newell didn’t issue a recall on the pressure cooker until late 2020. —Sponsored Content, The Denver Post, 28 Feb. 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. revoke
Verb
  • Hey, remember us, the ones who lost the 2024 election?
    — Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Historically, sculpture has been one of the key ways to depict who is in charge and who is worth remembering.
    — Shantay Robinson, ARTnews.com, 28 Feb. 2025
Definition of remember
Verb
  • First, the Eye network canceled the FBI spinoffs FBI: Most Wanted and FBI: International.
    — Marc Berman, Forbes, 9 Mar. 2025
  • South Korean law allows prosecutors to continue to hold a suspect while pursuing an appeal, even after the suspect's arrest is canceled by a court.
    — arkansasonline.com, arkansasonline.com, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of cancel
Noun
  • Olson, 96, shared her recollections on a recent episode of It Happened in Hollywood, The Hollywood Reporter‘s eyewitness film history podcast.
    — Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Many in attendance were taken aback by the tone of proceedings, with mentions of overcoming obstacles and recollections of triumphing over adversity, when some of those present will not be in position to meet the challenges of the future.
    — Adam Crafton, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Definition of recollection
Verb
  • The suspension of programs supporting the promotion of democracy in authoritarian countries, a bipartisan U.S. foreign policy for decades, has left experts wondering if the Trump administration has abandoned that goal.
    — Nora Gámez Torres, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2025
  • High in the thin Alaskan air, where abundant oxygen had long abandoned such firmaments for lower altitude, five women knelt circled against the piercing cold.
    — Cassidy Randall, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of abandon
Noun
  • Grief’s common phases (poring over old photos, sharing beloved memories) coexist with local rituals, all while Anand’s hidden desires materialize in a rekindled friendship with childhood companion Balya.
    — Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025
  • But the memory of the singer is very much alive on his old street.
    — Jawad Rizkallah, NPR, 5 Mar. 2025
Definition of memory
Noun
  • The cancellation of this year's meeting has raised concerns as influenza has increased across the United States.
    — David Faris, Newsweek, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Depending on the company, optional add-ons like trip cancellation coverage or pet injury protection may also be available.
    — Joan Pabón, Miami Herald, 26 Feb. 2025
Definition of cancellation
Verb
  • That's why Russell thinks the tariffs are likely to be reduced, postponed or scrapped.
    — Lauren Villagran, USA TODAY, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Congressional leaders could soon scrap weeks of budget talks in favor of a simple funding extension as Republicans weigh the best strategy to avert a government shutdown.
    — David Sivak, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 26 Feb. 2025
Definition of scrap
Verb
  • The Education Department cannot simply revoke forgiveness from someone overnight without going through the proper rulemaking (and overcoming legal hurdles).
    — Shahar Ziv, Forbes, 8 Mar. 2025
  • Bumgardner’s license was revoked for 24 hours, and he was released after being ordered to appear in court next week.
    — Julia Bonavita, Fox News, 8 Mar. 2025
Definition of revoke

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Cite this Entry

“Recall.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recall. Accessed 12 Mar. 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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