regain
ree-GAYN
Regain (verb) means to get something back after having lost it. Example: “It took months of therapy for him to regain full use of his arm.”
verb
1
To get something back after having lost it.
"It took months of therapy for him to regain full use of his arm."
"The team regained the lead in the final minutes of the match."
"Sarkozy's total will be seen as a personal failure. It is the first time an outgoing president has failed to win a first-round vote in the past 50 years and makes it harder for Sarkozy to regain momentum."
— Angelique Chrisafis, François Hollande on top but far right scores record result in French election (2012)
"After a rest, she began to regain her strength and walk without help."
How to use regain
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishTo recover something you had before and lost, such as strength, control, or a position.
Common pairings
regain consciousness
regain control
regain confidence
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Word forms
- Plural
- regains
- Third person singular
- regains
- Past tense
- regained
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
It took months of therapy for him to _____ full use of his arm.
Etymology
From Middle French regaigner, formed from re- plus gain.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for regain
See all rhymes for regain →Frequently asked questions
What does “regain” mean?
The word “regain” means to get something back after having lost it. In plain terms, to recover something you had before and lost, such as strength, control, or a position.
How do you pronounce “regain”?
“Regain” is pronounced ree-GAYN (/ɹiːˈɡeɪn/ in IPA).
How do you use “regain” in a sentence?
Here is “regain” used in a sentence: “It took months of therapy for him to regain full use of his arm.”
What part of speech is “regain”?
“Regain” is a verb.
Where does the word “regain” come from?
The word “regain” comes from Middle French. From Middle French regaigner, formed from re- plus gain.
Is “regain” a common word?
“Regain” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
What is the difference between regain and recover?
Regain means to get something back after having lost it, and it is most often used with concrete or specific things like control, balance, or territory. Recover has a wider range, covering health, money, data, and emotional states, and can also mean returning to a normal condition without implying possession of a specific lost item. "Recover from an illness" sounds natural, while "regain from an illness" does not.
What is the difference between regain and retrieve?
Regain focuses on getting back a state, ability, or position, such as regaining consciousness or regaining strength. Retrieve focuses on physically fetching or bringing back an object, such as retrieving a file or a lost item. Regain is used more for abstract things you possessed, while retrieve emphasizes the act of going and getting something back.
What are common collocations with regain?
Regain is frequently paired with words like consciousness, control, confidence, strength, balance, and composure. These pairings all describe returning to a previous state after it was temporarily lost.
