recurred; recurring
1
: to have recourse : resort
2
: to go back in thought or discourse
on recurring to my letters of that date—
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson3
a
: to come up again for consideration
b
: to come again to mind
4
: to occur again after an interval : occur time after time
the cancer recurred
Examples of recur in a Sentence
There is only a slight chance that the disease will recur.
The same problem keeps recurring.
Recent Examples on the Web
The volcano has had recurring periods of activity throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, including last November.
—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024
He’s also had recurring roles in The 4400 (2005-2006) and Queen of the South (2021).
—Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024
Now, there is a risk that recurring clashes over a disputed border between Somaliland and the neighboring Somali region of Puntland could escalate further.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
The indifference, or resistance, among native English speakers to learning other languages is a recurring topic of finger-pointing and handwringing among globally aware policymakers.
—Rosemary Salomone, TIME, 7 Apr. 2024
Mother and daughter both lived lives marked by recurring abuse and violence.
—Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Last referendum: Voters in November 2018 approved $3.8 million in recurring funds distributed over six years to exceed the state revenue cap.
—Alec Johnson, Journal Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2024
Prioritize Features In Line With Business Goals Finding a balance between pursuing creativity and managing scarce resources is a recurring problem for CTOs of startups.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The dysfunctional responses in the face of these recurring quarrels can leave you feeling stuck on a hamster wheel.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 Apr. 2024
He’s also had recurring roles in The 4400 (2005-2006) and Queen of the South (2021).
—Keith Langston, Peoplemag, 9 Apr. 2024
Now, there is a risk that recurring clashes over a disputed border between Somaliland and the neighboring Somali region of Puntland could escalate further.
—Alex De Waal, Foreign Affairs, 8 Apr. 2024
The indifference, or resistance, among native English speakers to learning other languages is a recurring topic of finger-pointing and handwringing among globally aware policymakers.
—Rosemary Salomone, TIME, 7 Apr. 2024
Mother and daughter both lived lives marked by recurring abuse and violence.
—Libor Jany, Los Angeles Times, 3 Apr. 2024
Last referendum: Voters in November 2018 approved $3.8 million in recurring funds distributed over six years to exceed the state revenue cap.
—Alec Johnson, Journal Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2024
Prioritize Features In Line With Business Goals Finding a balance between pursuing creativity and managing scarce resources is a recurring problem for CTOs of startups.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
The dysfunctional responses in the face of these recurring quarrels can leave you feeling stuck on a hamster wheel.
—Mark Travers, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'recur.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near recur
Cite this Entry
“Recur.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recur. Accessed 16 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
recur
verb
re·cur
ri-ˈkər 
recurred; recurring
1
: to go or come back in thought or discussion
2
: to come again into the mind
3
: to occur or appear again
Medical Definition
recur
intransitive verb
re·cur
ri-ˈkər
recurred; recurring
: to occur again after an interval
a disease likely to recur
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