retrieve
gb/ɹɪtɹˈiv/ us/ɹɪtɹˈiv/
B2
English
~ 8600
visszaszerez, elhoz, visszahoz, lekér, visszaállít, emlékszik, eszébe jut, felidéz, előhív, visszaemlékezik, helyrehoz, megment, apportíroz
VERB
B2
1
Usage pattern:
to retrieve [something] from [somewhere]
She ran back to the restaurant to retrieve her phone.
Visszaszaladt az étterembe a telefonjáért.
You can retrieve your luggage at the baggage claim area.
A poggyászát a csomagkiadó részen veheti át.
The company hired a specialist to retrieve the stolen paintings.
He dived into the pool to retrieve the keys from the bottom.
I returned to the office to retrieve a file I had left on my desk.
Learner examples
I went back to the bus to retrieve my jacket.
Visszamentem a buszhoz, hogy elhozzam a kabátomat.
Please retrieve your books from the table before you leave.
Kérlek, vidd el a könyveidet az asztalról, mielőtt elmész.
The dog jumped into the water to retrieve the toy.
He called the hotel to see if he could retrieve his wallet.
We must retrieve our bags from the locker.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"retrieve back"* (e.g., *"I retrieved back my bag"*). This is incorrect because *retrieve* already includes the idea of getting something back. Just say *"I retrieved my bag"*. Learners may also confuse *retrieve* with *retreat*; *retreat* means to move back or withdraw, not to get something back.
Meaning
get or bring something back
Collocations
retrieve luggage
|retrieve my bag
|retrieve the ball
|retrieve stolen property
|retrieve lost items
|retrieve personal belongings
Synonyms
get back (More informal and general; common in everyday speech.)
|
recover (Slightly more formal; often used when something was lost or damaged.)
Antonyms
lose (Opposite because you fail to keep or cannot find something, instead of getting it back.)
Themes
daily life
|travel
|work
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
to go and get something back that you lost, forgot, or had taken from you
To get or bring something back, especially something that was lost, left behind, or taken away.
VERB
B2
TECHNICAL
2
lekér
B2
visszaállít
B2
Usage pattern:
to retrieve [data/information/file] from [a system/device]
The system can retrieve customer data in just a few seconds.
A rendszer néhány másodperc alatt le tudja kérni az ügyféladatokat.
You can retrieve the document from the cloud if you accidentally close it.
Ha véletlenül bezárod, a dokumentumot a felhőből is elő tudod venni.
This search tool quickly retrieves information from multiple databases.
The app failed to retrieve your messages because the server was down.
Engineers are working on a faster way to retrieve large image files.
Learner examples
The program can retrieve your files from the server.
A program le tudja kérni a fájljaidat a szerverről.
I used a backup to retrieve my lost photos.
Biztonsági mentést használtam az elveszett fotóim visszaállításához.
This website takes a long time to retrieve the data.
The app cannot retrieve your messages without the internet.
Click this button to retrieve the report.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes use only *"open"* or *"see"* instead of *retrieve* in technical descriptions. In computing, *retrieve* focuses on the action of getting stored data from a system, not just looking at it.
Meaning
get data from storage
Collocations
retrieve data
|retrieve information
|retrieve a file
|retrieve records
|retrieve a document
|retrieve search results
Synonyms
access (Very common in computing; often implies permission and ability to use data, not just getting it out of storage.)
|
fetch (Technical jargon in computing; used for low-level operations like fetching data from memory.)
Antonyms
delete (Opposite in many computing contexts because you remove data instead of getting it to use.)
Themes
technology
|business
|science
|communication
Definition
to get data or information from a computer or another storage system so you can use it
To obtain and display or use data or information that is stored in a computer, database, or other system.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
3
Usage pattern:
to retrieve [information/memories] from [memory/one's mind]
He tried to retrieve the exact words of the conversation from memory.
Megpróbálta emlékezetből felidézni a beszélgetés pontos szavait.
Under stress, it can be harder to retrieve information you have learned.
Stressz alatt nehezebb lehet előhívni a megtanult információkat.
I could not retrieve her name, even though I recognized her face.
Students must retrieve key concepts quickly during the exam.
The smell of the sea helped her retrieve childhood memories of summer holidays.
Learner examples
I could not retrieve the word I needed.
Nem tudtam felidézni a szót, amelyre szükségem volt.
She tried to retrieve his phone number from memory.
Megpróbálta emlékezetből felidézni a telefonszámát.
It is easier to retrieve new words if you use them often.
The test checks how fast you can retrieve information.
That song helped me retrieve many happy memories.
Common mistake:
Learners often use only *remember* even in formal or technical contexts where *retrieve* is better, for example in psychology or education. *Retrieve* can suggest an active process of bringing information out of memory, not just having it.
Meaning
bring a memory to mind
Collocations
retrieve information from memory
|retrieve a memory
|retrieve a name
|retrieve a word
|retrieve stored knowledge
Synonyms
recall (Very close in meaning; more common in everyday use for remembering something.)
|
remember (More general and common; does not emphasize the process of actively bringing information back.)
Antonyms
forget (Opposite because you fail to remember something instead of bringing it back to mind.)
Themes
education
|cognition
|psychology
|core_vocabulary
Definition
to remember something again, especially a fact or piece of information
To recall or bring information, a fact, or a memory back into your mind.
VERB
C1
FORMAL
4
Usage pattern:
to retrieve [the situation/reputation/position]
A late goal helped the team retrieve the situation.
Egy kései gól segített a csapatnak megmenteni a helyzetet.
The company launched a campaign to retrieve its damaged reputation.
A vállalat kampányt indított, hogy helyrehozza megtépázott hírnevét.
Her strong closing argument partly retrieved an otherwise weak case.
He worked hard to retrieve his career after the scandal.
The negotiator managed to retrieve the situation before it turned into a crisis.
Learner examples
The coach hoped a win would retrieve the team’s good name.
Az edző abban reménykedett, hogy egy győzelem visszaszerzi a csapat jó hírnevét.
A quick apology can sometimes retrieve the situation.
Egy gyors bocsánatkérés néha helyrehozhatja a helyzetet.
She tried to retrieve her image after the mistake.
The company is trying to retrieve its position in the market.
His final goal helped retrieve the situation for the team.
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse *retrieve* with *relieve* or *redeem* in this sense. *Relieve* means to make pain or stress less, and *redeem* often has a moral or religious feel. *Retrieve the situation* is the fixed formal phrase for improving or saving a bad situation.
Meaning
improve or save a bad situation
Collocations
retrieve the situation
|retrieve one's reputation
|retrieve their position
|retrieve a lost lead
|retrieve a draw
Synonyms
salvage (Similar formal tone; emphasizes saving something that is badly damaged or almost lost.)
|
restore (Focuses more on bringing something back to its former good state.)
Antonyms
ruin (Opposite because it makes a situation or reputation much worse instead of improving it.)
Themes
emotions
|work
|sports
|business
Definition
to make a bad situation better again, or to get back something like a good name or position
To improve a difficult or bad situation or to regain something such as a reputation, position, or result that has been damaged or lost.
VERB
C1
5
visszahoz
A2
apportíroz
C1
Usage pattern:
to retrieve [a ball/bird/object]
The dog quickly retrieved the ball from the lake.
A kutya gyorsan visszahozta a labdát a tóból.
He trained his spaniel to retrieve birds during hunting season.
Arra tanította a spánieljét, hogy a vadászidényben visszahozza a lelőtt madarakat.
Our puppy loves to retrieve sticks on the beach.
The retriever calmly retrieved the duck and delivered it to his owner.
Some dogs naturally enjoy retrieving, while others must be carefully trained.
Learner examples
My dog can retrieve a ball very well.
A kutyám nagyon jól vissza tudja hozni a labdát.
We taught the puppy to retrieve a stick.
Megtanítottuk a kölyökkutyát, hogy visszahozza a botot.
The dog ran to retrieve the toy and brought it back.
Hunting dogs are often used to retrieve birds.
This breed was developed to retrieve things from water.
Common mistake:
Learners often use only *fetch* when talking about dogs. *Retrieve* is more formal and is common in dog training and hunting contexts.
Meaning
dog brings object back
Collocations
retrieve the ball
|retrieve the stick
|retrieve the bird
|teach a dog to retrieve
|a well-trained retriever retrieves
Synonyms
fetch (Very common everyday word for dogs; less formal and more general than *retrieve*.)
Antonyms
drop (In dog training, a dog that drops or leaves the object instead of bringing it back is doing the opposite of retrieving.)
Themes
animals
|sports
Definition
if a dog retrieves something, it runs to get a thing that was thrown or shot and brings it back
Of a trained dog, to go after a thrown or shot object and bring it back to the person who sent it.
Grammar
Dictionary form
retrieve
IPA
GB/ɹɪtɹˈiv/
US/ɹɪtɹˈiv/
Syllables & stress
re - trieve (2 syllables)
Stress on 2nd syllable (trieve)
Word forms
Verb
- Base: retrieve
- 3rd Person Singular: retrieves
- Present Participle: retrieving
- Past: retrieved
Word family
Forms
retrieves
verb
retrieving
verb
retrieved
verb
Core family
retrieval
noun B2
Related words
retrievable
adjective
retriever
noun
Negative and opposite forms
irretrievable
adjective
unretrievable
adjective
Advanced or less common
irretrievably
adverb
Expressions
retrieve data
1/ɹɪtɹˈiv dˈætə/
fixed phrase
technical
get stored data from a system
to get digital information from a computer, server, or database so you can use it
Examples
- The app needs a few seconds to retrieve data from the server.
- Scientists used special software to retrieve data from the damaged hard drive.
retrieve information
1/ɹɪtɹˈiv ˌɪnfɔɹmˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
get stored information
to get information that is stored in a computer, a database, or sometimes in memory, so that you can use it
Examples
- The search engine can retrieve information from millions of web pages.
- Students must quickly retrieve information from memory during the test.
retrieve the situation
1/ɹɪtɹˈiv ðə sˌɪt͡ʃuˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
save or improve a bad situation
to make a problem situation better again, especially when it was close to failing
Examples
- His quick apology helped retrieve the situation.
- A last-minute goal partly retrieved the situation for the home team.