retrieve

1 of 2

verb

re·​trieve ri-ˈtrēv How to pronounce retrieve (audio)
retrieved; retrieving

transitive verb

1
: to locate and bring in (killed or wounded game)
2
: to call to mind again
3
: to get back again : regain
4
b
: to return (something, such as a ball or shuttlecock that is difficult to reach) successfully
5
: restore, revive
his writing retrieves the past
6
: to remedy the evil consequences of : correct
7
: to get and bring back
especially : to recover from storage
retrieve information

intransitive verb

: to bring in game
a dog that retrieves well
also : to bring back an object thrown by a person
retrievability noun
retrievable adjective

retrieve

2 of 2

noun

1
2
: the successful return of a ball that is difficult to reach or control (as in tennis)

Examples of retrieve in a Sentence

Verb Many archaeological relics were retrieved from the site. Police retrieved his stolen car. You can quickly retrieve data. The files were retrieved from the computer. He was able to retrieve the document. The dog is learning how to retrieve. The dog has been trained to retrieve birds.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Verb
Once the suitcase crashed down, Dr. Rose and his team drove through the night to retrieve the carry-on, hoping for the best but keeping expectations reasonable. Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 24 Oct. 2024 There is an ongoing legal dispute over who was the first to retrieve the ball and was the rightful owner before its sale. Patrick Smith, NBC News, 23 Oct. 2024
Noun
As retrieve requests are forwarded, so are the responses backward along the path, allowing nodes to cache the chunks. Viktor Trón, Forbes, 9 Oct. 2024 Anglers can see how a fish reacts to a bait, retrieve, and presentation. Chad Morgenthaler, Outdoor Life, 8 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for retrieve 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

Middle English retreven, from Anglo-French retrueve-, present stem of retrover to find again, from re- + trover to compose, invent, find, from Vulgar Latin *tropare — more at troubadour

First Known Use

Verb

1814, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun

1658, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of retrieve was in 1658

Dictionary Entries Near retrieve

Cite this Entry

“Retrieve.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/retrieve. Accessed 8 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

retrieve

verb
re·​trieve
ri-ˈtrēv
retrieved; retrieving
1
: to find and bring in killed or wounded game
teach a dog how to retrieve
2
: to recover or make good a loss or damage
retrieved artifacts from the shipwreck
3
: to get and bring back
especially : to recover (as information) from storage
retrievable
-ˈtrē-və-bəl
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on retrieve

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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