WordGarden.iorecall
B1Pronunciation
UK
- /rɪˈkɔːl/transitiveverb
US
- /ˈriˌkɔl/
Meanings
Verb
to bring something back to mind
to officially order someone or something back or to withdraw something from use
to remove an elected official from office by a special vote
Noun
the act or ability of remembering something
an official request or order for a defective product to be returned
a special vote to remove an elected official from office
Beyond the definition
Imagine your grandmother telling stories about her childhood; she recalls those memories clearly, bringing them back from the past. To recall something is to actively remember it, often after some effort. It's more than just recognizing a face in a crowd; it's pulling specific information from your memory when you need it.
You might recall a forgotten password with a helpful hint, or a witness recalls details of an event for the police. Sometimes a smell, a song, or a familiar place can trigger it, and an old memory suddenly comes back. In the business world, a product recall happens when a company asks customers to return a dangerous item because a problem has been found and the product must be "called back" for safety.
To recall means to bring something back into your mind—to remember it, often with effort. It's not simply recognizing something you've seen or heard before; it involves actively retrieving information from your memory. For example: "She struggled to recall the name of the actor," or "The detective asked him to recall everything he saw that night."
Recall can also mean to officially call a person back, or to ask for something to be returned. A manager might recall a worker from leave, or a government might recall an ambassador. In business, a product recall happens when a manufacturer discovers a defect or safety issue in something it has sold and asks customers to return it. Think of car recalls due to faulty brakes: the company is calling those vehicles back so the problem can be fixed.
In politics, a recall election is a special election where voters decide whether to remove an elected official from office before their term ends. This usually happens when there is widespread dissatisfaction with the official's performance and enough signatures are gathered on a petition demanding a vote. It is essentially the public "calling back" the power they granted to that official.
The word comes from Latin roots that suggest calling something back again, which fits its main ideas well. So, whether it's remembering a cherished moment, ordering someone to return, pulling a faulty product from use, or voting to remove an official, recall is about bringing something back into attention, memory, or control.
Examples
- 1
Everyday memory
I can't recall her name right now.
- 2
Meeting place
Do you recall where we met?
- 3
Past experience
I recall seeing this movie when I was a kid.
- Patternrecall doing X
remember that you did it
- 4
Remembered fact
He recalled that the door had been left open.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Triggered memory
The smell of smoke recalled painful memories from the fire.
- 6
Product safety
The company recalled thousands of batteries after several phones caught fire.
- 7
Product recall
There was a recall of several baby strollers last month.
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- recallnounverb
Forms
- recalledpast tenseverbnoun
- recallspluralnounverb
- recalling-ing formverbnoun