Definition

1. Noun:
   • The act of regaining or saving something lost (or in danger of becoming lost): The process of getting something back that was misplaced, stolen, or otherwise no longer in one's possession.
   • Gradual healing (through rest) after sickness or injury: The process of returning to a normal state of health, strength, or consciousness after an illness, operation, or injury.
   • Return to an original state: The process of returning to a normal condition after a period of difficulty, decline, or disruption.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The police announced the recovery of the stolen artwork. (The act of regaining something lost.)
  • His recovery from the surgery took several weeks. (Gradual healing after sickness or injury.)
  • The economy is showing signs of recovery. (Return to an original/normal state.)

Advanced Usage

• "To be in recovery": To be in the process of recovering, especially from an addiction or a serious illness.
  • She has been in recovery for alcoholism for five years.
• "To make a full recovery": To return to complete health or normal function.
  • Doctors expect the patient to make a full recovery.
• "Recovery position": A first aid position in which an unconscious but breathing person is placed to keep their airway clear.
  • The lifeguard placed the swimmer in the recovery position.

Variants and Related Words

• Recover (verb): To get back, to regain health, or to return to a normal state.
  • He is recovering from a bad cold.
• Recoverable (adjective): Able to be regained or restored.
  • The data on the damaged disk was not recoverable.

Synonyms

• Retrieval: The process of getting something back.
• Recuperation: Recovery from illness or exertion.
• Rehabilitation: The process of restoring someone to health or normal life through training and therapy.
• Restoration: The action of returning something to a former condition.

Related Phrases

• Recovery room: A room in a hospital where patients are taken after surgery to regain consciousness under supervision.
  • The patient was moved to the recovery room after the operation.
• Data recovery: The process of retrieving inaccessible, lost, or corrupted data from storage media.
  • They used a specialist service for data recovery after the computer crash.

Idioms

• "Past recovery": Beyond the point of being able to be saved, cured, or restored.
  • The ancient manuscript was damaged past recovery.
• "On the road to recovery": In the process of getting better after an illness or setback.
  • After months of physical therapy, he is finally on the road to recovery.

Noun

1. the act of regaining or saving something lost (or in danger of becoming lost)
2. gradual healing (through rest) after sickness or injury
3. return to an original state
   • the recovery of the forest after the fire was surprisingly rapid