# recovering

/ɹəˈkəvɝɪŋ/ (US)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/recovering
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. getting healthy again

verb · CEFR B1

becoming healthy or strong again after an illness, injury, or surgery.

For teachers: the process of returning to a normal state of health, mind, or strength.

- She is recovering from her knee surgery and should be walking soon.
- The patient is recovering steadily in the intensive care unit, though doctors caution that full recuperation may take several months.

Usage: Often used with the preposition 'from'.

### 2. finding lost things

verb · CEFR B2

finding and getting back something that was lost or stolen.

For teachers: the act of regaining possession of something lost, stolen, or misplaced.

- The police are still recovering the stolen jewellery from the house.
- Divers are currently recovering artifacts from the shipwreck, working carefully to preserve the delicate wood in the saltwater environment.

Usage: Transitive verb taking a direct object of the item being retrieved.

### 3. economic improvement

verb · CEFR B2 · Academic

returning to a normal or successful state after a difficult time.

For teachers: returning to a state of stability or growth following a period of decline or crisis.

- The local economy is slowly recovering after the large factory closed.
- Market analysts observed the tourism sector recovering more rapidly than anticipated following the lifting of international travel restrictions.

Usage: Often used intransitively to describe markets, economies, or businesses.

### 4. the act of getting better

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the process of getting back to a normal or healthy state.

For teachers: the action or process of regaining health or a former state of stability.

- The recovering of the stolen paintings took nearly three years.
- The rapid recovering of his strength surprised the medical staff, who had predicted a much longer period of bed rest.

Teaching tip: While 'recovering' can be a gerund noun, 'recovery' is much more common in everyday English for this meaning.

## Examples

- She is recovering at home after her surgery.
- The local economy is slowly recovering after the factory closed down last year.
- While the patient is physically recovering from the procedure, the psychological impact of the trauma may require a more prolonged period of professional support and therapy.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.