Meaning & use

recall

verb·Everyday

To bring a memory back to mind, or to remember something from the past.

See it in a sentence

She could not recall where she had left her car keys that morning.

He recalled every detail of the accident when the officer asked for a statement.

A note on using this word

Recall is often used with a negative, as in 'cannot recall,' to politely admit a memory lapse.

Words with a similar meaning

rememberrecollect

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

Another way to use it

2. noun

An official request by a manufacturer for customers to return a faulty product.

The automaker issued a recall of thousands of cars over a faulty brake system.

Make it your own

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