What does regain mean?
Regain is a verb meaning to get back something that has been lost, taken away, surrendered, or temporarily lost. People regain possession of property, regain control of a situation, regain access to an account, or regain their health and strength. The word can also describe returning to a previous condition or level, as in “The athlete regained her form.” Regain is more specific than the broader verb recover because it often focuses on getting back a clearly identifiable thing or status. It is common in formal writing and journalism, particularly in discussions of business, politics, sports, law, and health. While recover can refer to finding something lost or becoming well again, regain generally carries the stronger sense of restoring a possession, position, or capacity that had been lost. It is a versatile word that combines precision with broad applicability.
verbTo get back something that has been lost, surrendered, or taken away. It can also mean to return to a former condition or level.
- To get back possession, control, freedom, or a position that was lost or taken away.
- To return to a previous state, level, or condition.
"The team worked hard to regain possession of the ball."
"Gradually, the patient began to regain strength."
"The company worked to regain control of its overseas branches."
To regain is to reclaim what once belonged to you—and sometimes the word also describes recovering something you had almost lost forever.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does regain come from?
Regain was formed in English by combining the prefix re-, meaning “again,” with the word gain. Gain comes through Old French from Latin, whose related forms refer to acquiring or obtaining something, often with the idea of securing possession or profit. English developed several derivatives from the same root, including gainful and gainless, while regain specifically expresses the return of something previously obtained or possessed.
Related word forms
How regain is actually used
Regain is formal but widely used in both British and American English. It is especially common in news, business, politics, and sports, where it describes recovering territory, control, health, or a lost position.
Easily confused with regain
Regain usually emphasizes getting back something specific that was lost or taken, whereas recover is broader and often suggests returning to health, strength, or a normal condition.