Children's, Intermediate and Advanced Online English Dictionary & Thesaurus

Dictionary Suite
Display options
Show syllables
Show Lookup History
Double-Click Lookup
  Show Spanish support
Entry formats
Lookup History



parts of speech:
transitive verb, noun
Word Explorer, Word Parts
part of speech: transitive verb
pronunciation: rih kawl
inflections: recalled, recalling, recalls
definition 1: to bring to mind; remember.
I see him often, but I can never recall his name.Do you recall the time we went to the beach to watch the sunrise?I don't recall giving you permission to do that.He recalls seeing the document, but he can't find it right now.She suddenly recalled that she had an appointment that afternoon.
recollect, remember
similar words:
evoke, hark back, place, recognize, reminisce, retrieve, review, think
definition 2: to cause to return; call back.
She was sent out of the meeting, but she was recalled within minutes.The witness was recalled to the stand.The soldier had been discharged but was later recalled to active duty.
similar words:
reactivate, rescind, revive, revoke, summon, take back
definition 3: of a manufacturer, to call for faulty products to be returned to the factory.
The factory recalled the defective tires.
similar words:
take back
part of speech: noun
pronunciation: rih kawl [or] ri kawl
definition 1: the act of remembering or recollecting.
His recall of recent events is becoming poor.
memory, recollection
similar words:
definition 2: a mechanism by which government officials can be removed from office by the voters.
Disgruntled citizens called for a recall of the mayor.
definition 3: an instance of taking back; cancellation.
The company reluctantly issued a recall of the products.The recall of the vehicles came as a shock to owners.
derivation: recallable (adj.)
Word Explorer
  industry, mind, think
Word Parts
The word recall contains the following part:
re- Latin prefix that means again; back or back again
Show wordsHide wordsMore about this word part:
The prefix re- occurs in verbs that are Latin loanwords, where it can mean "again" (revise ) or "back again" (reflect ). It also attaches to English verbs (replay , rewind) with both meanings. Any verb can be prefixed by "re- " to indicate that an action is repeated. No hyphen is necessary unless the word formed is identical to an existing word (re-sign the document, but resign from a job).