recovering
- 01 B1 Intermediate
v.becoming healthy or strong again after an illness, injury, or surgery.
v.the process of returning to a normal state of health, mind, or strength.
Simple“She is recovering from her knee surgery and should be walking soon.”
In context“The patient is recovering steadily in the intensive care unit, though doctors caution that full recuperation may take several months.”
UsageOften used with the preposition 'from'.
PitfallHe is recovering of a cold. He is recovering from a cold.Use the preposition 'from' to indicate the illness or injury you are getting better from.
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.finding and getting back something that was lost or stolen.
v.the act of regaining possession of something lost, stolen, or misplaced.
Simple“The police are still recovering the stolen jewellery from the house.”
In context“Divers are currently recovering artifacts from the shipwreck, working carefully to preserve the delicate wood in the saltwater environment.”
UsageTransitive verb taking a direct object of the item being retrieved.
SynonymsAntonyms - 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.returning to a normal or successful state after a difficult time.
v.returning to a state of stability or growth following a period of decline or crisis.
Simple“The local economy is slowly recovering after the large factory closed.”
In context“Market analysts observed the tourism sector recovering more rapidly than anticipated following the lifting of international travel restrictions.”
UsageOften used intransitively to describe markets, economies, or businesses.
SynonymsAntonymscrashingslumping - 04 C1 Advanced
n.the process of getting back to a normal or healthy state.
n.the action or process of regaining health or a former state of stability.
Simple“The recovering of the stolen paintings took nearly three years.”
In context“The rapid recovering of his strength surprised the medical staff, who had predicted a much longer period of bed rest.”
Teacher's tipWhile 'recovering' can be a gerund noun, 'recovery' is much more common in everyday English for this meaning.
From Middle English recoveryng; equivalent to recover + -ing.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.