recrudesce: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C2formal, literary, medical
Quick answer
What does “recrudesce” mean?
to break out again.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
to break out again; to become active or severe again after a period of quiescence
to recur or revive, especially of something undesirable such as disease, conflict, or symptoms
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage; both use it in formal/literary contexts.
Connotations
Equally formal and rare in both varieties.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both; slightly more likely in British medical/academic writing due to Latin influence.
Grammar
How to Use “recrudesce” in a Sentence
intransitive (subject: disease/violence)followed by preposition 'in' (recrudesce in the region)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “recrudesce” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The infection may recrudesce if treatment is halted prematurely.
- Fears recrudesced that the dispute could turn violent.
American English
- The patient's symptoms recrudesced after a month of remission.
- Ethnic tensions recrudesced in the region last spring.
adverb
British English
- The disease spread recrudescently through the population.
- Violence flared recrudescently in the urban areas.
American English
- Symptoms appeared recrudescently despite treatment.
- Protests erupted recrudescently across the campus.
adjective
British English
- The recrudescent fever required additional medication.
- They faced recrudescent hostilities along the border.
American English
- A recrudescent outbreak was reported in three states.
- The recrudescent violence disrupted the peace process.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare; might appear in risk reports (e.g., 'Market volatility could recrudesce').
Academic
Used in medical, historical, political science texts (e.g., 'The epidemic recrudesced after winter').
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Common in medical literature describing disease relapse.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “recrudesce”
- Using it for positive revival (e.g., 'Hope recrudesced').
- Using it transitively (e.g., 'He recrudesced the conflict').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is almost exclusively used for negative phenomena like disease, conflict, or violence.
No, it is a rare, formal word mostly found in medical, academic, or literary contexts.
Recrudescence (e.g., 'a recrudescence of violence').
'Recur' is neutral and general; 'recrudesce' specifically implies something undesirable breaking out again after dormancy, often with suddenness or severity.
to break out again.
Recrudesce is usually formal, literary, medical in register.
Recrudesce: in British English it is pronounced /ˌriːkruːˈdes/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌrikruˈdɛs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “none specific to this word”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'crude' violence or disease becomes 're-crude' (raw/rough again) after being quiet.
Conceptual Metaphor
DISEASE/CONFLICT IS A FIRE (it can flare up/recrudesce after dying down).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is 'recrudesce' most appropriately used?