recon

1 of 2

noun

re·con ˈrē-ˌkän ri-ˈkän

Synonyms of recon

: reconnaissance

recon

2 of 2

verb

reconned; reconning; recons

transitive verb

: to conduct a preliminary and especially an exploratory survey of : to do a reconnaissance of (something)

In another village we sent an advance party to recon the place.—Wallace Terry

Examples of recon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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Noun

Grier received the kind of elite recon that all great heists need. — Dieter Kurtenbach, Mercury News, 17 June 2026 Unarmed recon pilots had to make a quick escape when the enemy approached. — Kocha Olarn, CNN Money, 1 July 2026

Verb

Bashir, Siedi, and the other leaders recon the target — a pair of shipping containers converted into a kitchen — as the Green Berets spread out to watch the action. — Kevin Maurer, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2022 Moreno and Lisa D’Silva, Rascal’s voyage manager and resident marine biologist, used their knowledge of the park to recon the best coral reefs and other dive spots. — Julia Zaltzman, Robb Report, 22 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for recon

Word History

Etymology

Verb

derivative of recon entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

1918, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1966, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of recon was in 1918

See more words from the same year

Browse Nearby Words

recompute

recon

reconceive

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Recon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recon. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

recon

noun

verb

Examples of recon in a Sentence

Word History

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

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