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
Mia also recalled an incident in August 2013 when Combs allegedly appeared at Ventura’s apartment and turned violent. —Cheyenne Roundtree, Rolling Stone, 29 May 2025 Tipton recalled sitting in Town Hall last September as Helene stormed across the Gulf dozens of miles away. —Martin E. Comas, The Orlando Sentinel, 29 May 2025
Noun
Upper Funnel Measurement While much of marketing measurement focuses on conversions, upper funnel metrics like brand awareness, consideration and recall are equally critical. —Rahul Wankhede, Forbes.com, 27 May 2025 What To Know The recall was initiated after a sample of the sausage product tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes during a routine FSIS inspection. —Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 May 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
  • Pryor was a savant at polishing his challenging circumstances and debilitating neuroses into crowd-pleasing material, and this is broadly how he’s remembered in comedy history.
    — Vulture Staff, Vulture, 23 May 2025
  • Walk into the room ready to be moved, not managed, because safe work doesn’t get remembered.
    — Flavio Vidigal, Forbes.com, 23 May 2025
Definition of remember
Verb
  • The news came just days after the Trump administration canceled funding for Moderna to develop a vaccine against potential pandemic flu viruses, including the H5N1 bird flu, despite promising early study results.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 31 May 2025
  • Musk has faced fierce backlash over his drastic cuts to the government's budget, including canceling thousands of federal jobs, and the dismantling of entire agencies.
    — Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 31 May 2025
Definition of cancel
Noun
  • While some recollections may vary, they are taken very seriously and will be addressed by the family privately.
    — Stephanie Nolasco , Ashley Papa, FOXNews.com, 19 May 2025
  • My recollection is that Floridians have been demanding insurance relief.
    — Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 18 May 2025
Definition of recollection
Verb
  • The property had been abandoned for about three years, according to Dawkins.
    — Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2025
  • Elder Scrolls Online, like any other MMO, is the type of game many players spend hundreds of even thousands of hours playing over the course of several years, so asking them to abandon an account with that type of legacy just to play with someone on another platform is a very big ask.
    — David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
Definition of abandon
Noun
  • For the Burdine brothers, that journey has been shared from day one, doubling the memories, the milestones, and the meaning.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 May 2025
  • Pictures, video and memories of the South Florida storm.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
Definition of memory
Noun
  • They were just replaced with a new addition to the lineup, but this pair is still fantastic, with excellent sound quality and class-leading noise cancellation.
    — Louryn Strampe, Wired News, 22 May 2025
  • The cancellations have been cheered by Senator Ted Cruz, Republican of Texas, who in February published a list identifying more than a third of the grants that have been terminated.
    — Aatish Bhatia, New York Times, 22 May 2025
Definition of cancellation
Verb
  • But that idea gets scrapped not long after it’s introduced.
    — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 22 May 2025
  • Aspinall took that fight on short notice when the original main event for that card, Jon Jones vs. Stipe Miocic for Jones's heavyweight title was scrapped following an injury to Jones.
    — Trent Reinsmith, Forbes.com, 20 May 2025
Definition of scrap
Verb
  • The stage is now set for the NFLPA’s Committee on Agent Regulation and Discipline (CARD) to suspend France, or perhaps revoke his agent certification entirely.
    — Chris Deubert, Forbes.com, 31 May 2025
  • Trump has issued a presidential memorandum revoking the security clearances of lawyers at the firm Covington & Burlington who were part of Smith’s cases against Trump.
    — Naomi Lim, The Washington Examiner, 30 May 2025
Definition of revoke

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 4 Jun. 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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