re·cap·ture
(ˌ)rē-ˈkap-chər 
1
a
: the act of retaking
b
: an instance of being retaken
2
: the retaking of a prize or goods under international law
3
: a government seizure under law of earnings or profits beyond a fixed amount
recaptured; recapturing; recaptures
1
a
: to capture again
b
: to experience again
by no effort of the imagination could she recapture the ecstasy—
Ellen Glasgow
Ellen Glasgow2
: to take (something, such as a portion of earnings or profits above a fixed amount) by law or through negotiations under law
Synonyms
Examples of recapture in a Sentence
Noun
the recapture of the territory may take longer than expected
Verb
The guards recaptured the escaped prisoner.
The soldiers recaptured the hill they had lost the day before.
In the final lap of the race, he recaptured the lead.
They are trying to recapture those happy times they had together.
The documentary recaptures the social tensions of the 1960s.
Recent Examples on the WebMichael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 31 Jan. 2024
She was still considered a fugitive, though, threatened with recapture, until Mr. Willis’s second wife bought her freedom from her owner’s son-in-law for $300 in 1852.
—Sam Roberts, New York Times, 28 July 2023
And unlike in Ukraine’s recapture of the port city of Kherson, where Moscow struggled to resupply and defend positions across the Dnieper River, Russian forces along the front line have no major obstacles at their back.
—Missy Ryan, Isabelle Khurshudyan and Michael Birnbaum, The Washington Post, Anchorage Daily News, 19 July 2023
But its recapture has not moved the lines around Bakhmut in any significant way since.
—Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2023
While he was being held in the Calhoun County Jail in 2020 after his recapture, court records show, authorities say Hall attacked an officer and tried to choke him.
—Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, 5 July 2023
Their decision to risk the wildfire was meant to avoid recapture at any cost.
—Matina Stevis-Gridneff, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2023
The amount [that taxpayers overpay] that goes over the set amount, known as recapture, spills over and goes to Austin.
—By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square Contributor, Washington Examiner, 15 July 2023
She was still considered a fugitive though, threatened with recapture, until Willis’ second wife bought her freedom from her owner’s son-in-law in 1852 for $300.
—Sam Roberts, BostonGlobe.com, 29 July 2023
Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2024
That’s because the box office hasn’t recaptured its pre-pandemic stride — studios estimate that roughly 15% to 20% of frequent moviegoers have yet to resume their old entertainment habits now that COVID has dissipated.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
That comfort level Snell was never able to fully recapture in three seasons in San Diego, the final two coming under Melvin.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024
Others dove into the fray, pushing back Democratic brawlers and recapturing their torches.
—Jon Grinspan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2024
After a three-game skid in the middle of February, the Nuggets had recently recaptured their form and entered the game against the Suns on a six-game winning streak.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024
In order to recapture that magic and emotion, marketers must take a step back from the fast-paced, everything-everywhere cycle and focus on relationships.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
And the conversion to roller coaster park is probably insufficient to recapture lost patronage because most people value SeaWorld for the fish, not the thrill.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2024
Yana’s mother was eventually released and no longer lives under Russian occupation after Ukraine recaptured most of the Kharkiv region in September 2022.
—Kostiantyn Khudov, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
Noun
Even Poland’s Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights, no friend of Law and Justice, has raised doubts about the legality of the new government’s smash-and-grab style of reform and recapture.
—Michael Brendan Dougherty, National Review, 31 Jan. 2024
She was still considered a fugitive, though, threatened with recapture, until Mr. Willis’s second wife bought her freedom from her owner’s son-in-law for $300 in 1852.
—Sam Roberts, New York Times, 28 July 2023
And unlike in Ukraine’s recapture of the port city of Kherson, where Moscow struggled to resupply and defend positions across the Dnieper River, Russian forces along the front line have no major obstacles at their back.
—Missy Ryan, Isabelle Khurshudyan and Michael Birnbaum, The Washington Post, Anchorage Daily News, 19 July 2023
But its recapture has not moved the lines around Bakhmut in any significant way since.
—Washington Post Staff, Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2023
While he was being held in the Calhoun County Jail in 2020 after his recapture, court records show, authorities say Hall attacked an officer and tried to choke him.
—Carol Robinson | Crobinson@al.com, al, 5 July 2023
Their decision to risk the wildfire was meant to avoid recapture at any cost.
—Matina Stevis-Gridneff, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2023
The amount [that taxpayers overpay] that goes over the set amount, known as recapture, spills over and goes to Austin.
—By Bethany Blankley | The Center Square Contributor, Washington Examiner, 15 July 2023
She was still considered a fugitive though, threatened with recapture, until Willis’ second wife bought her freedom from her owner’s son-in-law in 1852 for $300.
—Sam Roberts, BostonGlobe.com, 29 July 2023
Verb
Watch:Zebras, camels, pony graze Indiana highway after being rescued from semi-truck fire
Viola the elephant was recaptured unharmed, reports say
Butte is a town in southwestern Montana about 85 miles from Bozeman and 170 miles north of Yellowstone National Park.
—Emily Deletter, USA TODAY, 17 Apr. 2024
That’s because the box office hasn’t recaptured its pre-pandemic stride — studios estimate that roughly 15% to 20% of frequent moviegoers have yet to resume their old entertainment habits now that COVID has dissipated.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 12 Apr. 2024
That comfort level Snell was never able to fully recapture in three seasons in San Diego, the final two coming under Melvin.
—Evan Webeck, The Mercury News, 12 Apr. 2024
Others dove into the fray, pushing back Democratic brawlers and recapturing their torches.
—Jon Grinspan, Smithsonian Magazine, 1 Apr. 2024
After a three-game skid in the middle of February, the Nuggets had recently recaptured their form and entered the game against the Suns on a six-game winning streak.
—Matias Grez, CNN, 6 Mar. 2024
In order to recapture that magic and emotion, marketers must take a step back from the fast-paced, everything-everywhere cycle and focus on relationships.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024
And the conversion to roller coaster park is probably insufficient to recapture lost patronage because most people value SeaWorld for the fish, not the thrill.
—Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 Apr. 2024
Yana’s mother was eventually released and no longer lives under Russian occupation after Ukraine recaptured most of the Kharkiv region in September 2022.
—Kostiantyn Khudov, Washington Post, 3 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'recapture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near recapture
Cite this Entry
“Recapture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recapture. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
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