recover - Master This Word
Master this word with our 5-step learning method – Learn English in English
recover Word Meanings
- to get back something lost
- to regain health or strength
- to find a solution to a problem
recover Example Sentences
Example sentences are the start of understanding. Don't rush to memorize. First feel how the word works in a sentence.
recover Phonetic & Pronunciation
UK
/rɪˈkʌvə/
US
/rɪˈkʌvɚ/
recover Word Etymology
re- = back + cover = to envelop. Origin: Latin → Old French → English. Picture a person who has fallen down and then stands back up, wrapping themselves in a blanket for comfort as they recover.
Note 1: These definitions and etymologies are not standard dictionary definitions, but extended explanations provided to help with memorization and understanding of the actual application of words. Through this background information, we strive to make words more vivid and easier to understand, and help you remember their meanings in real life.
Note 2: LexiTalk designs the learning flow around the linguistics principle of “Comprehensible Input.” When learners encounter material that is slightly above their level but still understandable from context, the brain naturally absorbs the language. That’s why we keep every word inside authentic contexts, using examples and associations to help you understand it and use it flexibly.
Read the FAQ explanation of Comprehensible InputEnglish Brain Route
I steady my breath, set my shoulders, and reach for what slipped away. I pull it back toward me, feel the weight shift as it comes into my grip. The effort is real, my fingers tensing then loosening as I adjust my grip and keep steady. When it’s back in hand, the sigh of relief settles in, and I know this is how I recover a thing or a moment and keep moving.
Real Context
Recover is a versatile verb with three core senses. It can mean to get back something lost or taken, to regain health or energy after illness or fatigue, and to find a solution to a problem or to recover data and systems after a failure. Common collocations include recover from, recover quickly, recover costs, recover a password, and recover data. In everyday use, English speakers often pair it with from when talking about overcoming adversity: you recover from an injury, you recover from a setback. The verb can be transitive (recover the money) or intransitive (recover from a cold), and it appears across contexts such as everyday life, business, medicine, and technology.
Usage Reminders
- Remember there are three core meanings of recover.
- Use from after recover from when talking about overcoming obstacles.
- Distinguish transitive and intransitive uses.
- Think of data, health, and item recovery as separate contexts.
- Practice with common collocations like recover from, recover costs, and recover a password.
Common Misconceptions
- Confusing recover with recuperate when talking about health, which more often means 'to regain strength gradually' rather than 'to regain a lost object'.
- Thinking recover only applies to tangible things like money or items; it also covers health and digital data.
- Overusing the literal 'recover from' without specifying the source (from an injury, from a loss, from a setback).
- Misplacing a meaning and saying 'recover' for 'recovering' instead of 'recovering from' a condition.
- Using 'recover' in passive contexts (is recovered) when the sense is ongoing or active.
Thinking Differences
Explain to an English speaker (meta, keep short)
Learning Tips
- Learn the three core senses first (returning something, health recovery, solving a problem).
- Use from after 'recover from' when talking about a setback or illness.
- Know the transitive vs intransitive use (recover the money vs recover from a cold).
- Practice common collocations: recover from, recover costs, recover a password.
- Apply recover to data, health, and objects to cover contexts.
- Remember pronunciation: /rɪˈkʌvər/.
5-Step Learning Method - Learn English in English
Step 1: Meaning
What does the word 'recover' mean?
A.Feel unsure or unclear about something
B.Regain strength or health after an illness or injury
C.Show kindness towards others
D.Avoiding work or activity
Step 2: Usage
In which of the following sentences is 'recover' used correctly?
A.They were too arrogant to recover from their mistake.
B.He was being lazy and didn't want to recover.
C.I recovered a lost dog in the park.
D.She recovered from the flu in just one day.
Step 3: Similar Words
Which of the following is a similar word to 'recover'?
A.Mediate
B.Aggravate
C.Recuperate
D.Exacerbate
Step 4: Opposite Words
What is the opposite of 'recover'?
A.Decline
B.Miraculous
C.Heal
D.Thrive
Step 5: Mastery
Can you give an example of a situation where someone might need to recover?
A.During a celebration
B.After a surgery
C.While receiving an award
D.While on vacation
Related Listening
🔥 Advanced
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