Meaning & use

full recovery

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌfʊl rɪˈkʌvəri/
US/ˌfʊl rɪˈkʌvəri/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A complete return to normal health after an illness or injury.

    Grammar: Often used with make or a possessive: make a full recovery, her full recovery.

    Patterns

    • make a full recovery
    • a full recovery from something

    After months of treatment, he made a full recovery.

    The doctor expects her to make a full recovery from the surgery.

    A full recovery can take time, so be patient.

  2. nouncountable

    A complete return to a normal or previous level, especially in business or the economy.

    Grammar: Often used with make or see: the economy made a full recovery.

    Patterns

    • a full recovery in something
    • make a full recovery

    The company made a full recovery after the bad year.

    Analysts expect a full recovery in the housing market.

    It may take years for tourism to see a full recovery.

Word forms

pluralfull recoveries

Common combinations

make a full recovery
She made a full recovery after the accident.
a full recovery from
His full recovery from the flu took two weeks.
expect a full recovery
Doctors expect a full recovery with rest.
a full recovery in
There has been a full recovery in sales this quarter.

Synonyms and how they differ

complete recovery
Very similar, but complete recovery is slightly more formal and less common in everyday speech.
total recovery
Emphasizes that nothing is missing; full recovery is the standard phrase in both health and business.

Opposites

partial recoveryrelapse

Word family

recover verb
To become healthy again or return to a normal state.
recovery noun
The process of getting better.
recovered adjective
Having returned to normal health or state.

Commonly confused: full recovery or recovery?

full recovery vs recovery

Recovery is the general process; full recovery means the process is completely finished.

Practice

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