reclaim
B2Neutral to formal; common in environmental, legal, business, and social contexts.
Definition
Meaning
To take back or regain possession or control of something that was previously lost, taken, or neglected.
To make land suitable for cultivation or habitation (e.g., from water or wasteland); to recover or reuse materials or resources; to restore to a proper or desirable state.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Often implies a right or previous ownership. Can carry a connotation of correcting an injustice or restoring a natural or proper state. When used for land or materials, it highlights a transformation from a useless/negative to a useful/positive state.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is very similar. 'Reclaim' for land (e.g., from the sea) might be slightly more frequent in UK contexts due to historical projects like the Fens. In the US, 'reclaim' is heavily used in environmental/industrial contexts (e.g., reclaiming water, metals).
Connotations
In both, it can have positive (restoration, environmentalism) or confrontational (asserting rights) undertones depending on context.
Frequency
Comparably frequent. Slight edge in US English for waste/recycling terminology.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
reclaim something (from somebody/something)reclaim something as somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “reclaim your mojo”
- “reclaim the high ground”
- “reclaim the night (from protest movement)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
To reclaim expenses or taxes; to reclaim market share.
Academic
To reclaim a theoretical concept; to reclaim historical narratives.
Everyday
To reclaim a lost umbrella from lost property; to reclaim your lawn from weeds.
Technical
To reclaim solvents in a lab; to reclaim rubber from tyres; to reclaim data from a corrupted drive.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She went to the lost property office to reclaim her briefcase.
- The project aims to reclaim marshland for agricultural use.
- The activist sought to reclaim the word from its negative connotations.
American English
- You can reclaim your security deposit when you move out.
- The company uses a process to reclaim precious metals from electronic waste.
- The team fought hard to reclaim the lead in the fourth quarter.
adjective
British English
- Reclaimed timber is popular for eco-friendly home projects.
- The garden featured a patio made of reclaimed bricks.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I lost my scarf, but I reclaimed it from the school office.
- After the flood, the farmers worked to reclaim their flooded fields.
- The author's work reclaims forgotten stories from history.
- The government launched a scheme to reclaim contaminated industrial sites for public parks.
- She is trying to reclaim her personal time after a period of intense work.
- The political movement aimed to reclaim the national discourse from populist rhetoric.
- Advanced filtration systems allow us to reclaim over 90% of the water used in the process.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a 'claim' ticket. You give it to get something BACK. RE + CLAIM = to claim again, to get back.
Conceptual Metaphor
RECOVERY IS TAKING BACK WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY ONE'S OWN / RESTORATION IS RECLAIMING LAND FROM CHAOS.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Не путать с 'require' (требовать). Ближе по смыслу к 'вернуть себе', 'восстановить (права/землю)', чем просто 'требовать'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'reclaim' for simply 'asking for something new' (e.g., 'I reclaimed a new laptop' - incorrect). Confusing with 'recline'. Overusing where 'recover' or 'get back' would be more natural.
Practice
Quiz
In an environmental context, 'reclaim' most closely means:
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Reclaim' strongly implies a previous right or ownership and often involves an active effort to take back. 'Recover' is broader, meaning to get back something lost (health, composure, a lost object) and can be more passive.
Yes, very commonly. You can reclaim your time, your identity, your confidence, or a narrative. It means to actively take back control of it.
Yes, especially in design, construction, and environmental contexts. It describes materials salvaged and repurposed from old structures or waste.
Not always. While it often implies a moral or perceived right, it can also be used for practical efforts like reclaiming land from the sea or reclaiming recyclables, where the 'right' is more about utility or stewardship.