recover

To become well again after illness, injury, or an upsetting experience.

• I hope you recover soon.
• She recovered from her illness at home.
• It took him several minutes to recover from the shock.

How to use it: recover from something (He recovered from the operation in six weeks.)

Similar words: get better, heal

Opposites: worsen

Common phrases: recover from something, recover fully, recover quickly

To return to a normal or better state after a difficult period or harmful change.

• Sales are beginning to recover.
• The economy recovered faster than expected.
• Will the market recover before the end of the year?

How to use it: recover from something (The business is recovering from a difficult year.)

Similar words: improve, bounce back

Opposites: decline, worsen

Common phrases: economy recover, recover from something, recover slowly

To get back something that was lost, stolen, or unavailable.

• Police recovered my stolen bike.
• Can you recover the deleted files?
• Divers recovered several objects from the wreck.

How to use it: recover something from somewhere (Police recovered the bike from a garage.)

Similar words: retrieve, regain, get back

Opposites: lose

Common phrases: recover stolen goods, recover lost files, recover something from somewhere

To get back money that you spent, invested, or lost.

• We hope to recover our costs.
• She sued the company to recover damages.
• The business recovered its initial investment within two years.

How to use it: recover something from someone (They recovered the repair costs from the insurance company.)

Similar words: recoup, get back

Opposites: lose

Common phrases: recover costs, recover damages, recover an investment

To bring a person or thing out of a dangerous or difficult place.

• They recovered two survivors from the wreckage.
• Divers hope to recover the missing equipment.
• Was anyone recovered alive from the collapsed building?

How to use it: recover someone/something from something (Divers recovered the driver from the submerged car.)

Similar words: rescue, retrieve, salvage

Common phrases: recover someone, recover something, recover from wreckage

To put a new cover over something, or put its cover back on.

• We decided to recover the sofa.
• She recovered the old chair with fresh fabric.
• Please recover the dish after taking a piece.

How to use it: recover something with something (We recovered the chair with blue fabric.)

Similar words: re-cover

Common phrases: recover a chair, recover with something, recover a sofa