receive
receive — verb
- receivepresent simple I / you / we / they
- receiveshe / she / it
- receivedpast simple
- receiving-ing form
1. to have something come into your possession when someone gives it, sends it, or
to have something come into your possession when someone gives it, sends it, or pays it to you.
Christopher received a letter from his grandmother in Taiwan yesterday.
receive + noun phrase + from + noun phrase
The charity received over ten thousand dollars in donations last month.
passive alternative: was received; theme of donation
Yuna received a scholarship to study marine biology at the university.
receive + abstract noun (scholarship, grant, award)
Every participant received a certificate and a small gift after the workshop.
The hospital received an urgent delivery of medical supplies this morning.
passive: were received by the hospital
- receive a letter
- receive a gift
- receive news
- receive support
- receive treatment
- receive payment
- receive an award
- receive a reply
Grammar Patterns
receive + noun phrase
be received + by + noun phrase
receive + noun phrase + from + noun phrase
Usage Note
Frequently used in passive constructions (be received by) when the giver is the focus. The giver is introduced by from or by.
Common Mistakes
2. when a device such as a television, radio, or mobile phone picks up broadcast wa
when a device such as a television, radio, or mobile phone picks up broadcast waves and turns them into sound, images, or data that you can use.
The old television cannot receive digital signals without a special converter box.
device + receive + signal
Our new antenna helps the radio receive stations from over a hundred miles away.
The weather station receives temperature data from sensors placed across the mountain range.
receive + data / information
Brandon's phone could not receive any signal while he was hiking in the canyon.
- receive a signal
- receive a channel
- receive a broadcast
- receive data
- receive a transmission
- pick up
less formal; can imply the signal was weak or hard to get
Grammar Patterns
device + receive + noun phrase
receive + signal / channel / broadcast / data
Usage Note
Subject is usually a device (radio, TV, phone, antenna, satellite dish). Common objects: signal, channel, broadcast, transmission, data.
Common Mistakes
3. to hear and understand a spoken message that someone sends to you by radio or si
to hear and understand a spoken message that someone sends to you by radio or similar communication equipment.
The pilot received a warning from air traffic control about the approaching storm.
receive + message / instruction + from + source
Isabela could not receive the rescue team's message because of the static interference.
The ship's captain received navigation instructions from the port authority clearly.
receive + instruction / command
Tariq pressed the transmit button and said, 'I am receiving you loud and clear.'
- receive a message
- receive a transmission
- receive a call
- receive instructions
- receive a warning
- hear
general; does not imply the message was sent by radio
- transmit
to send a radio message, the opposite of receiving one
Grammar Patterns
receive + noun phrase + from + noun phrase
receive + message / transmission / call
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 2 (TV/RADIO SIGNALS): sense 3 focuses on a human listener hearing a human speaker's voice, not on device functionality. Common in aviation, maritime, and emergency contexts.
Common Mistakes
4. in team sports such as football, basketball, or rugby, to take control of a ball
in team sports such as football, basketball, or rugby, to take control of a ball that a teammate has thrown, kicked, or hit towards you.
The midfielder ran forward and received the ball from a quick throw-in.
receive + the ball + from + source
Hao received a long pass and scored the winning goal in the final minute.
The basketball player received the ball near the basket and made an easy layup.
Dewi received the rugby ball and sprinted forty metres before being tackled.
receive + [sport-specific ball]
- receive a pass
- receive the ball
- receive a kick
- receive a throw-in
- receive a hand-off
- pass
to send the ball to a teammate
Grammar Patterns
receive + the ball / a pass / a kick
receive + noun phrase + from + teammate
Usage Note
Common in football (soccer), American football, basketball, rugby, and hockey. The object is always a ball or a specific type of pass (throw-in, hand-off, cross).
Common Mistakes
5. in tennis, volleyball, badminton and similar sports, to hit back the ball your o
in tennis, volleyball, badminton and similar sports, to hit back the ball your opponent sends across the net to begin a point.
Shirin received the serve and returned the ball down the line for a winner.
receive + the serve
Mert struggled to receive the fast serves from his opponent during the championship match.
The volleyball player received the serve and passed the ball perfectly to the setter.
receive + the serve + in [sport] context
In the final game, Nellie received every serve and won the point each time.
- receive the serve
- receive the service
- receive a serve
- receive the ball
- receive the kick-off
- return
more active; implies hitting the ball back, not just taking it
- serve
the action of hitting the ball to start the point
Grammar Patterns
receive + the serve / service
player + receive + noun phrase + from + opponent
Usage Note
Distinguish from sense 4 (TEAM SPORTS PASS): sense 5 involves receiving from an opponent at the start of a point, not from a teammate during open play. The player is called the receiver. Common in tennis, badminton, volleyball, squash, and cricket.
Common Mistakes
6. to greet someone who arrives at your home, office, or event and look after them,
to greet someone who arrives at your home, office, or event and look after them, especially in a formal or official way.
The ambassador received the visiting delegates at the embassy entrance with a firm handshake.
receive + guest/visitor at [place]
Sirin received the wedding guests at the door and showed them to their seats.
The president received the foreign leaders in the grand hall of the presidential palace.
formal register: receive + dignitary/delegate
The hotel manager received each guest personally and offered them a cold drink.
Andrew's family received the exchange student warmly on her first evening in their home.
- receive guests
- receive visitors
- receive a delegation
- receive a visitor
- receive a guest
- turn away
to refuse to welcome someone
Grammar Patterns
receive + guest / visitor / delegate
receive + noun phrase + at + place
Usage Note
More formal than welcome or greet. Often used in diplomatic, corporate, hospitality, and official social contexts. Can describe both professional hospitality and personal hosting.
Common Mistakes
7. to be at a place such as a station, airport, or doorway at the moment someone ar
to be at a place such as a station, airport, or doorway at the moment someone arrives, in order to greet them or help them with their luggage.
Omar's aunt went to the airport to receive him after his flight from Cairo.
receive + person at airport / station
The hotel staff received the tour group at the entrance with cool towels and drinks.
receive + group at a venue
Min stood at the bus stop to receive her grandmother, who was visiting for the holiday.
A driver was sent to receive the guests at the railway station and take them to the hotel.
passive: someone was sent to receive
- receive a guest
- receive visitors
- receive someone at the airport
- receive someone at the door
- see off
to be at a place when someone leaves, rather than when they arrive
Grammar Patterns
receive + noun phrase (person)
Usage Note
In everyday speech, 'meet' or 'pick up' is more common than 'receive' for this sense. 'Receive' sounds slightly more formal and is often used in written travel or hospitality contexts.
Common Mistakes
8. to respond to something such as a speech, suggestion, or event with a specific a
to respond to something such as a speech, suggestion, or event with a specific attitude or emotion that reveals your view of it — for instance, receiving a proposal with enthusiasm or a joke with silence.
The CEO's new plan was received warmly by the staff, who had been hoping for change.
passive: was received + adverb (warmly)
Kabir's joke was received in silence, and he realised he had offended everyone at the table.
The community received the news of the factory closure with anger and disappointment.
receive + news + with + emotion
Critics received the young novelist's first book poorly, but readers loved it.
active: subject + receive + object + adverb
When the proposal was received with enthusiasm, the team felt encouraged to continue their work.
- receive a response
- receive a reaction
- receive criticism
- receive support
- receive applause
Grammar Patterns
be received + adverb (well / badly / warmly / positively)
receive + noun phrase + adverb
Usage Note
This sense is very common in the passive voice ('be received + adverb'). The adverb is essential — without it the sentence sounds incomplete when expressing a reaction. Active voice also works: 'They received the news calmly.'
Common Mistakes
9. to formally welcome someone into an organization, society, or religious body so
to formally welcome someone into an organization, society, or religious body so that they become part of it through an official process or ceremony.
After six months of training, the novices were received into the order at a special ceremony.
passive: be received into [institution/order]
The club received three new members last month after a vote by the existing members.
active: club + receive + members
Élise was received as a full partner in the law firm after five years of hard work.
passive: be received as [role]
The church congregation gathered to receive the new families into their community.
- receive into the church
- receive as a member
- receive into the order
- receive new members
Grammar Patterns
be received into + organization
be received as + member/novice
receive + person + into + group
Usage Note
Frequently passive. The preposition 'into' is the most common complement ('received into the church / society / club'), while 'as' introduces the status granted ('received as a member / brother / novice'). Active voice ('The committee received him as a member') is less common but acceptable.
Common Mistakes
To be the person who experiences something, usually something negative.
Mia was on the receiving end of her boss's anger yesterday.
Have you ever been at the receiving end of a prank?
Word family
- receivernounB1
- receiptnounB1
- receptionnounB1
- receptiveadjectiveB2
- receptionistnounA2
- receivableadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All four synonyms describe coming to possess something, but they differ in formality, effort, and the role of the recipient. get is the most general and informal word. It covers any way of coming to own something — buying, finding, receiving, earning ('I got a birthday card from my aunt'). As a learner, get is your default for casual conversation. obtain is more formal and implies that some effort, procedure, or request was involved ('The researcher obtained permission to access the archives'). It is rarely used for everyday items. You obtain a visa, a license, or data — not a sandwich. accept adds the idea of willingness: the recipient agrees to take what is offered ('She accepted the award on behalf of her team'). Accept implies a conscious choice, whereas receive simply states that something arrived. be given focuses attention on the giver's action rather than the recipient's. It is particularly useful in passive constructions where the giver is named ('The students were given extra time by the teacher'). Compare: 'I got / received / obtained / accepted the package.' Get sounds natural in a text message. Receive is neutral and factual. Obtain sounds strangely bureaucratic for a package. Accept only works if you had the option to refuse it.
Common collocations
Etymology
From Middle English receiven, from Old North French receivre (variant of Old French recoivre), from Latin recipere (“take back, regain, admit”), a compound of re- (“back”) and capere (“to take”). Arrived in English via Anglo-Norman after the Norman Conquest (11th century), originally with both literal meanings (“take back what was lost”) and ceremonial ones (“admit as a guest or member”).