RETRIEVAL Synonyms: 11 Similar and Opposite Words

retrieval

noun

ri-ˈtrē-vəl

Definition of retrieval

as in reclamation

the act or process of getting something back a law firm that has been involved in the retrieval of artworks that were plundered during the war

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of retrieval This Mars Sample Return project was well underway, with specimens cached on Mars ready for retrieval, but is now in limbo because of budget cuts. — Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 22 June 2026 Storage, caching, vector pipelines, and high-throughput data paths matter because context and retrieval are now foundational to how AI applications and agents operate. — Harsha Kotikela, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 The platform isn't designed to fly human passengers; it's geared toward the support of research or other payloads that require retrieval after a stint in space, such as pharmaceuticals and other products of orbital manufacturing. — Josh Dinner, Space.com, 22 June 2026 Seltz’s advisers and angel investors include executives from Google, Ramp, Cohere, Synthesia, and Databricks, along with academics from information-retrieval labs at NYU and the University of Glasgow. — Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 24 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for retrieval

Recent Examples of Synonyms for retrieval

Noun

Perhaps the Canucks will add a veteran defender to push their young blueliners for minutes, or target a reclamation project veteran at a conservative price point.

— Thomas Drance, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Former Kings winger Viktor Arvidsson, who had a bounceback 2025-26, and perpetual reclamation project Patrik Laine could also hit the open the market.

— Andrew Knoll, Oc Register, 28 June 2026

Definition of reclamation

Noun

That in and of itself wasn’t noteworthy — ice after starts is a regular part of any pitcher’s recovery and arm care.

— Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Pressure is building for standard definitions of stress, resilience and recovery speed, along with more clinical partnerships as regulators pay closer attention.

— Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 3 July 2026

Definition of recovery

Noun

Operation Overlord eventually led to the recapture of France from the Nazis and the surrender of the Nazi regime some 11 months later.

— Rebecca Schneid, Time, 6 June 2026
Criminal gang violence continues unabated in Ecuador following the recapture in June 2025 of the country's biggest drug lord, Adolfo Macías, who leads Los Choneros, after his escape from a maximum-security prison in 2024.

— CBS News, CBS News, 3 June 2026

Definition of recapture

Browse Nearby Words

retrievable

retrieval

retrievals

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Retrieval.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/retrieval. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of retrieval

noun

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on retrieval

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes