recap

Meanings

1. 1nouncountableinformal

   A short summary that repeats the main points of something already said, shown or done.

   Grammar: Usually with a: a quick recap of the plot.

   Patterns

   • a recap of something
   • give a recap

   Here is a quick recap of yesterday's lesson.

   The show began with a recap of the previous episode.

   Before we begin, let me give a short recap of the project.

2. 2verbtransitive or intransitiveinformal

   To go over the main points of something again briefly.

   Grammar: Works with or without an object: recap the story, or let me recap.

   Patterns

   • recap something
   • let me recap

   Let me recap what we decided at the last meeting.

   The teacher recapped the main events of the chapter.

   To recap, the deadline is Friday and the budget is fixed.

Word forms

Common combinations

quick recap

Here is a quick recap before we continue.

recap the main points

She recapped the main points at the end of the talk.

season recap

Fans read the season recap in the paper.

to recap

To recap, we need three more volunteers.

episode recap

The episode recap helped me remember the plot.

Synonyms and how they differ

summary

Summary is the neutral, more formal word and may cover something never heard before, while a recap repeats what the audience already knows.

review

Review often means a careful look back to check or study, whereas a recap is shorter and lighter.

rundown

Rundown is informal and may list items in order, while recap focuses on repeating key points.

recapitulate

Recapitulate is the formal full form and sounds stiff beside the casual recap.

Opposites

Word family

recapitulate verb

the formal verb that recap comes from

recapitulation noun

a formal summary or repeating of main points

recapping noun

the act of summarizing again

Commonly confused: recap or recap vs cap?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “recap”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

Explore more words