recovery

/rɪˈkʌvəri/ (bre, ipa) · /rɪˈkʌvəri/ (ame, ipa) · /ri-ˈkə-və-rē -ˈkəv-rē/ (ame, mw)

recovery — noun

1. the process of getting your health back and feeling well again after being sick,

1.名詞B1
釋義

the process of getting your health back and feeling well again after being sick, injured, or having a medical procedure

例句

Ezra made a full recovery from the lung infection and returned to work after three weeks.

collocation: made a full recovery

Nala's recovery took longer than expected because the flu had weakened her immune system.

同義詞
  • healing

    focuses on the body repairing itself; more biological than general

  • recuperation

    more formal, often implies a longer period of rest and restoration

  • convalescence

    formal medical term for the resting period after an illness before full health returns

反義詞
  • relapse

    when someone becomes ill again after starting to get better

  • deterioration

    the process of becoming worse rather than better

文法句型

possessive + recovery + from + illness/injury

make a + adjective + recovery

recovery + after + surgery/treatment

用法筆記

Frequently occurs with possessive determiners (his recovery, her recovery) and with prepositions 'from' (recovery from an illness) or 'after' (recovery after surgery). Often modified by adjectives describing the speed or completeness of the process: 'full recovery,' 'quick recovery,' 'slow recovery.'

常見錯誤

❌The doctor said his recovery was complete after the surgery.' (ambiguous — sounds like the process is finished but unclear).
✅The doctor said he would make a complete recovery within six weeks.
💡'recovery' works better with 'make a … recovery' to describe the expected process, not the endpoint.

2. a return to a successful, healthy, or normal state of business, finance, or gene

2.名詞B1
釋義

a return to a successful, healthy, or normal state of business, finance, or general conditions after a period of difficulty or decline

例句

The housing market showed clear signs of recovery after months of falling prices.

collocation: signs of recovery

Small businesses led the recovery in the job market by hiring more workers last year.

pattern: recovery in + sector

同義詞
  • rebound

    implies a faster, sharper return after a drop; common in sports and finance

  • revival

    suggests bringing something back to life or popularity after near-disappearance

  • upturn

    a more neutral term for an upward change in economic conditions, without implying a prior loss

反義詞
  • recession

    a sustained period of economic decline

  • downturn

    a general downward trend in business or economic activity

文法句型

economic + recovery

recovery + in + sector/market

signs of + recovery

用法筆記

Commonly modified by adjectives indicating the speed or strength of the return: 'stalled recovery,' 'bumpy recovery,' 'V-shaped recovery.' The subject is typically an organization, economy, market, or industry — not a person. Distinguish from Sense 1, where the subject is a biological entity recovering from illness.

常見錯誤

❌There was a recovery in my test scores this semester.
✅There was an improvement in my test scores this semester.
💡'recovery' implies a return from a bad state to a previous good state, not just an upward trend.

3. the act of finding and taking back something that was lost, stolen, or taken awa

3.名詞B2
釋義

the act of finding and taking back something that was lost, stolen, or taken away from its owner

例句

Police announced the recovery of the stolen paintings from a warehouse on the outskirts of the city.

pattern: recovery of + stolen goods

The recovery of the lost luggage took three days because it had been sent to the wrong airport.

同義詞
  • retrieval

    slightly more technical; often used for data, documents, or information

  • reclamation

    formal; implies taking back something from a state of loss or waste

  • salvage

    specifically about rescuing something from damage, destruction, or a dangerous situation

反義詞
  • loss

    the state of no longer having something

  • theft

    the act of stealing, which creates the need for recovery

文法句型

recovery + of + stolen/lost item

recovery + by + person/agency

用法筆記

Takes the preposition 'of' followed by the specific item retrieved: 'recovery of the stolen vehicle,' 'recovery of the lost data.' Unlike Sense 2, this sense implies the physical retrieval of an object rather than a general return to a former state. Often used in police reports, insurance claims, and salvage operations.

常見錯誤

❌The recovery of my umbrella happened when the rain stopped.
✅I managed the recovery of my umbrella from the lost-and-found office.
💡'recovery' implies active effort to retrieve something, not a change in weather conditions.

4. the process by which your body returns to its normal state of rest after physica

4.名詞B2
釋義

the process by which your body returns to its normal state of rest after physical activity, training, or competitive sports

例句

Darius drinks a protein shake during recovery after every heavy weight training session.

pattern: recovery after + training

Getting enough sleep is one of the most important parts of effective muscle recovery.

collocation: muscle recovery

同義詞
  • recuperation

    broader and more formal; can apply to both sports and illness contexts

  • rest

    simpler and more general; refers to the inactive period rather than the biological process

反義詞
  • strain

    injury or damage from overuse or inadequate recovery time

  • fatigue

    the state of tiredness that recovery is meant to relieve

文法句型

recovery + after + workout/training

muscle + recovery

recovery + day/period/time