# reclamation

/ˌɹɛkɫəˈmeɪʃən/ (US) · /ɹɪklɐmˈeɪʃən/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/reclamation
Updated: 2026-05-08

## Definition

the process of getting something back or making something useful again. You often hear this when people turn old, dirty land into a park or a place for buildings.

For teachers: the process of claiming something back or reasserting a right to it; specifically, the conversion of waste land or underwater areas into land suitable for habitation or cultivation.

## Examples

- The city started a land reclamation project by the sea.
- After the mine closed, the company spent millions on environmental reclamation to restore the local forest.
- The reclamation of the marshlands provided the growing city with much-needed space for infrastructure, though it fundamentally altered the local ecosystem's natural drainage patterns.

## Usage notes

- Often followed by the preposition 'of' to indicate the object being recovered.

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