Meaning & use
recharge
Last updated
Meanings
verbtransitive or intransitive
To put electrical power back into a battery or device that has run down.
Grammar: Takes an object when you name the device (recharge the phone), but no object when the device itself gains power (the phone recharged in an hour).
Patterns
- recharge something
- recharge a battery
- something recharges
I need to recharge my phone before we leave.
The battery recharges fully in about two hours.
She plugged in the laptop to recharge it overnight.
verbintransitivefigurative
To get your energy or enthusiasm back after a tiring period, often by resting.
Grammar: No object; often used with 'batteries' as a fixed phrase.
Patterns
- recharge your batteries
- recharge after something
- recharge with something
A weekend by the sea helped her recharge after a busy month.
You should take a break and recharge your batteries.
He recharged with a long walk and a good meal.
Word forms
| third person singular | recharges |
|---|---|
| past tense | recharged |
| past participle | recharged |
| -ing form | recharging |
Common combinations
- recharge a battery
- It takes an hour to recharge a battery this size.
- recharge your batteries
- A short holiday will let you recharge your batteries.
- recharge a phone
- Can I recharge my phone at your place?
- recharge overnight
- The device is designed to recharge overnight.
Synonyms and how they differ
- refuel
- Used for adding fuel to a vehicle or energy to a person, not for electrical batteries.
- rest
- Focuses on stopping activity to feel better; 'recharge' suggests actively getting energy back.
Opposites
Word family
- rechargeable adjective
- Describes a battery or device that can be recharged.
- recharge noun
- An act of recharging, or a fresh supply of energy.
Commonly confused: recharge or recharge?
recharge vs recharge
Do not confuse with 'recharge' (to charge again) and 'charge' (to put power in for the first time or to ask for money).
Practice
After a long week at work, I like to ___ by going for a walk in the park.
Choose one answer.
After 'to' we need the base verb 'recharge'. 'Rechargeable' is an adjective, 'recharged' is past tense, and 'recharging' would need a helping verb like 'am'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “recharge”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.