recollect 1 of 2

verb (1)

ˌre-kə-ˈlekt How to pronounce recollect (audio)
Definition of recollectnext
as in to remember
to bring back to mind I can't recollect if I turned the stove off or not before leaving the house

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

re-collect

2 of 2

verb (2)

ˌrē-kə-ˈlekt How to pronounce re-collect (audio)
1
as in to contain
to gain emotional or mental control of she had to calm down and re-collect herself after being told she had won the lottery

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in to retrieve
to get again in one's possession I struggled to re-collect the papers the wind had torn from my hands

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word recollect distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of recollect are recall, remember, remind, and reminisce. While all these words mean "to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind," recollect implies a bringing back to mind what is lost or scattered.

as near as I can recollect

When can recall be used instead of recollect?

While in some cases nearly identical to 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

When is remember a more appropriate choice than recollect?

While the synonyms remember and recollect are close in meaning, remember implies a keeping in memory that may be effortless or unwilled.

remembers that day as though it were yesterday

Where would remind be a reasonable alternative to recollect?

The words remind and recollect can be used in similar contexts, but remind suggests a jogging of one's memory by an association or similarity.

that reminds me of a story

In what contexts can reminisce take the place of recollect?

In some situations, the words reminisce and recollect are roughly equivalent. However, 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 recollect
Verb
Continually surrounded by well-wishers during an hour of socializing before a formal program of speakers and videos recollecting his career, Lubelfeld listened to what others had to say before speaking himself. — Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026 With men on first and second, Keller recollected himself and retired the next three batters to preserve the win. — Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 17 Mar. 2026 But the Bruins recollected themselves, and the flow state returned on the other side of the timeout. — Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 2 Mar. 2026 That suits the artless, unfiltered way Yo describes her life, spending a fair amount of time recollecting her own childhood. — Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recollect
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recollect
  1. remember
  2. contain
  3. retrieve
  4. recall
  5. compose
  6. recapture
  7. collect
  8. regain
Verb
  • An all-rounder with a heart of gold, Dolly will also be remembered for her philanthropy, her acting roles, her business acumen and her support of good causes.
    — Lars Brandle, Billboard, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Sarajevans still remember his commands to the Serb gunmen pounding the Bosnian capital in early 1992.
    — Jovana Gec, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of remember
Verb
  • The filing says a witness reported seeing a gray GMC Denali towing a box trailer containing people, including children.
    — Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Hugging Face’s, meanwhile, is a few pages shorter but contains specific lines of code and evidence from its systems about what happened.
    — Emily Forlini, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of contain
Verb
  • Linux password file retrieved The researchers demonstrated the threat on an AMD computer running a current Linux kernel.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The family member had retrieved Molano’s vehicle and found the five large crates of cinnamon rolls inside.
    — Milena Malaver, Miami Herald, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of retrieve
Verb
  • Those songs and more were performed during his set by an ace band that included two drummers, whose polyrhythmic beat recalled the Burundi-like drumming of Ant’s 1980 masterpiece Kings of the Wild Frontier.
    — David Chiu, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Cole recalled how, at the close of those early shows, the drawings were removed from their frames and returned to Auckland, to be put back in their cupboards.
    — Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of recall
Verb
  • Debjit Samanta served as cinematographer, Ketul Thakkar edited the film and Nishant Ramtake composed the original score.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 27 Aug. 2026
  • By most accounts, Dolly composed some 3,000 songs over her lifetime.
    — Martha Ackmann, Vulture, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of compose
Verb
  • Some savings never reach the consumer because utilities recapture them.
    — Joshua Macey, Hartford Courant, 28 Aug. 2026
  • With all the new money flowing into South Florida real estate, can the theater attract a buyer and recapture the magic?
    — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of recapture
Verb
  • Allen collected three hits and played terrific defense during a 6-3 win against the Mets.
    — Chandler Rome, New York Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Morgues in Nepal have been overwhelmed, though authorities are collecting DNA samples in the hopes of notifying relatives.
    — Freddie Clayton, NBC news, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of collect
Verb
  • But to regain his eligibility, Carter had to repay $427 that was provided for a plane ticket.
    — Trey Wallace OutKick, FOXNews.com, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Surgery, called a prostatectomy, has a longer recovery time, and causes initial incontinence in nearly all patients; though most regain bladder control within a year, 5% to 10% can experience permanent incontinence.
    — Annalisa Merelli, STAT, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of regain

Browse Nearby Words

recoils
recollect
re-collect
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Recollect.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recollect. Accessed 2 Sep. 2026.

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