reclaim

verb

ri-ˈklām How to pronounce reclaim (audio)
Definition of reclaimnext
1
as in to regain
to get again in one's possession she reclaimed the championship title after losing it last year

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to rehabilitate
to make better in behavior or character a program to reclaim juvenile offenders by requiring them to do community service

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to recycle
to obtain (a raw material) by separating it from a by-product or waste product after reclaiming the glycerin from used vegetable oil, you can use the oil to create a fuel that burns cleaner than regular gasoline

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb reclaim contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of reclaim are deliver, ransom, redeem, rescue, and save. While all these words mean "to set free from confinement or danger," reclaim suggests a bringing back to a former state or condition of someone or something abandoned or debased.

reclaimed long-abandoned farms

Where would deliver be a reasonable alternative to reclaim?

While the synonyms deliver and reclaim are close in meaning, deliver implies release usually of a person from confinement, temptation, slavery, or suffering.

delivered his people from bondage

When could ransom be used to replace reclaim?

The words ransom and reclaim can be used in similar contexts, but ransom specifically applies to buying out of captivity.

tried to ransom the kidnap victim

When is it sensible to use redeem instead of reclaim?

The meanings of redeem and reclaim largely overlap; however, redeem implies releasing from bondage or penalties by giving what is demanded or necessary.

job training designed to redeem school dropouts from chronic unemployment

In what contexts can rescue take the place of reclaim?

Although the words rescue and reclaim have much in common, rescue implies freeing from imminent danger by prompt or vigorous action.

rescued the crew of a sinking ship

When can save be used instead of reclaim?

While in some cases nearly identical to reclaim, save may replace any of the foregoing terms; it may further imply a preserving or maintaining for usefulness or continued existence.

an operation that saved my life

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of reclaim Their relationship lingers in silence as Lola struggles to reclaim her voice. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 7 Mar. 2025 That opened the door for Democrats to reclaim some power in Madison. —Anya Van Wagtendonk, NPR, 6 Mar. 2025 To further enhance our national security, my administration will be reclaiming the Panama Canal. —Time Staff, TIME, 5 Mar. 2025 The retailer’s plans to grow its business and better compete against rivals like Walmart and Amazon come as Target finds itself in a rough patch, struggling to grow sales of high-margin discretionary merchandise and reclaim its competitive advantage. —Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reclaim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reclaim
  1. regain
  2. rehabilitate
  3. recycle
  4. recapture
  5. redeem
  6. recover
  7. retrieve
Verb
  • The market regained some value by the end of last week.
    — Peter Aitken, Newsweek, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The line got some good luck off Matthews’ goal to regain the lead 56 seconds after Jake Sanderson tied it.
    — Omar White, The Athletic, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of regain
Verb
  • Staff at the National Aquarium Animal Care and Rescue Center are rehabilitating four young grey seals, hitting the center’s capacity for seals, the National Aquarium said Wednesday.
    — Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 20 Mar. 2025
  • Developing tourism inevitably impacts the environment, but the real question is whether leaving coral reefs untouched without economic incentives for conservation leads to better outcomes than having a guardian, such as a hotel or resort, actively working to rehabilitate and protect them.
    — Emese Maczko, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of rehabilitate
Verb
  • Those sales would fund ongoing manufacturing, allowing profits to be recycled so that Kickstarter backers could gradually receive shipments dependent on social media sales volumes.
    — Ars Technica, Ars Technica, 14 Mar. 2025
  • This is all a nice way to recycle real estate at a moment when most people are banking online.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of recycle
Verb
  • Notre Dame hopes to recapture that magic and go on a run to its first Final Four since 2019.
    — Ben Pickman, The Athletic, 17 Mar. 2025
  • The Hawkeyes will face No. 11 Murray State (25-7), aiming to recapture some of last year’s magic.
    — Roberta F. Rodrigues, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of recapture
Verb
  • Best of all, travelers can also redeem Alaska Air Mileage Plan frequent flyer miles for the one-way deals on select flights as low as 4,500 miles.
    — Michael Cappetta, Travel + Leisure, 18 Mar. 2025
  • UConn won last year’s meeting in Portland 80-73 as the 3-seed, but USC redeemed itself with a 72-70 upset of the Huskies in Hartford on Dec. 21 this season.
    — Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of redeem
Verb
  • That number dropped to about 5.6 million in 2020 and mostly recovered to 7.3 million in 2021.
    — Zach Wichter, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2025
  • The big deal is that many farmers in the country are still recovering from a trade war with China in 2018 that left grain in the bins and sent prices tumbling.
    — Kirk Siegler, NPR, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of recover
Verb
  • Automation software can include advanced routing algorithms, making robot operations for storing and retrieving items much more efficient.
    — Parth Joshi, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
  • Following a 24-hour mission to retrieve her, firefighters managed to pull the woman from the rubble.
    — Rachel Raposas, People.com, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of retrieve

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Cite this Entry

“Reclaim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reclaim. Accessed 23 Mar. 2025.

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