WordLens

recall

1 of 2verb
/rɪˈkɔl/
Forms:recalls,recalling,recalled,recalled
1

to bring back something from the memory

B2transitive
  • She could recall the details of the conversation with remarkable clarity.
  • The professor encouraged students to recall key concepts during the exam.
  • In therapy, individuals may work to recall suppressed memories for healing.
  • Last night, he recalled a vivid dream that he had forgotten upon waking.
  • A scent can often trigger the ability to recall past experiences.
Antonyms:
2

to make someone stop daydreaming or thinking about something else and pay attention

transitive
  • She had to recall him from his daydreaming to focus on the task.
  • He was lost in thought, but his friend recalled him to the conversation.
  • The sound of the bell recalled the students from their idle chatter.
  • He was staring out the window, but she recalled him to the present moment.
  • She recalled her brother from his thoughts so they could discuss the plan.
3

to officially ask someone to come back to a place

transitive
  • The company decided to recall the employee to the office for a meeting.
  • The military recalled the soldiers to base for further instructions.
  • The school recalled the students for an emergency assembly.
  • The board recalled the director to the office for a review of the proposal.
  • She was recalled to her hometown after hearing the news.
Synonyms:
4

to make someone remember or think about someone or something

transitive
  • That old song recalls memories of our summer vacation.
  • The smell of fresh bread always recalls my grandmother’s kitchen.
  • Seeing her face on the poster recalled the happy days we spent together.
  • The letter he wrote recalls the deep emotions they shared.
  • The movie scene recalled the first time they met.
Synonyms:
5

to ask customers to return a product because a problem has been found with it

transitive
  • The company recalled all the phones after discovering a battery defect.
  • They recalled the car models due to a serious safety issue with the brakes.
  • The company had to recall the laptops because of a software glitch.
  • They recalled the toy because it was found to have small parts that could be a choking hazard.
  • The brand recalled their watches due to a defect in the timekeeping mechanism.