# regain

/ɹɪˈɡeɪn/ (US) · /ɹɪɡˈeɪn/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/regain
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. to get back a quality or feeling

verb · CEFR B2

to get back a feeling or ability that you had before.

For teachers: to recover a quality, state, or ability that was previously lost or diminished.

- After a few days of rest, he began to regain his strength.
- The patient worked diligently with the physical therapist to regain full mobility in her shoulder following the surgery.

Usage: Often used with abstract nouns like 'consciousness', 'control', or 'composure'.

### 2. to recover possession

verb · CEFR B2

to get back something physical that you no longer had.

For teachers: to recover possession of a physical object or territory.

- The army fought hard to regain the lost territory.
- The company launched a legal battle to regain control of its intellectual property after the partnership dissolved.

Usage: Transitive verb requiring a direct object.

### 3. weaving/textiles

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

the amount a piece of cloth grows when the fibers get wet or swell.

For teachers: the increase in the width of woven cloth caused by the swelling of fibers, used to calculate reed width.

- The weaver calculated the regain to ensure the final fabric was the correct size.
- Accurate measurement of regain is essential in industrial weaving to prevent the finished textile from deviating from the client's specifications.

Usage: Usually uncountable in this technical sense.

Teaching tip: This is a highly specialized term; most learners will only encounter the verb form.

## Examples

- She worked hard to regain her strength after the illness.
- The driver struggled to regain control of the car after it skidded on the icy patch of road.
- After years of political instability, the nation finally began to regain its former status as a major hub for international trade and diplomatic cooperation.

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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.