retrieval

noun

re·​triev·​al ri-ˈtrē-vəl How to pronounce retrieval (audio)
1
: an act or process of retrieving
2
: possibility of being retrieved or of recovering
beyond retrieval

Examples of retrieval in a Sentence

the retrieval of stolen goods The system allows quick storage and retrieval of data.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
While his teammates were running an opening retrieval and forechecking drill at one end of the rink, Hughes was warming up at the other side where Vancouver’s goaltenders worked. Thomas Drance, The Athletic, 26 Feb. 2025 The boat’s 14-foot tender catamaran, which Aquila also manufactures at its production facility in China, is on an electric hoist system that lifts the boat outwards for launch and retrieval. Michael Verdon, Robb Report, 24 Feb. 2025 Structuring medical knowledge is the key to accurate matching and enhanced AI retrieval capabilities. Michal Tzuchman Katz Md, Forbes, 21 Feb. 2025 Axon, the company that markets the body cameras, declined to say whether the body cameras used at Marcy included the 18-hour retrieval feature, and the state corrections department wouldn’t say whether officers were told about that feature on their body cameras. Thomas C. Zambito, USA TODAY, 17 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for retrieval

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1643, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of retrieval was circa 1643

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Cite this Entry

“Retrieval.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrieval. Accessed 2 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

retrieval

noun
re·​triev·​al ri-ˈtrē-vəl How to pronounce retrieval (audio)
: an act or process of retrieving

More from Merriam-Webster on retrieval

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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