Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🔋 To add power 💪 To regain strength
to recharge

to recharge

29 3.6
To put power back into a battery or device by plugging it in
  • verb
  • /riːˈtʃɑːrdʒ/
translation icon : recargar
  • It allowed people to recharge their mobile phones.
  • recharge the battery
  • recharge the cell

We want our phone to magically recharge while we're queuing for coffee, right?

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • So you came here to recharge their life Bars.

  • The batteries must frequently be recharged and replaced, and they cannot operate at extreme temperatures.

    Academic text (2012)

  • By now, I can recharge my own cell phone.

    The Suite Life Movie (2011)

  • We tried everything to recharge his ship's energy core.

    Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

  • I need to get some sort of extension cord, something so I can recharge her.

    Flubber (1997)

  • Electric cars cannot be recharged if their batteries run down at some spot away from electric power.

    Academic text (2005)

  • The vehicle includes a 110-volt outlet that can recharge a laptop computer.

    Academic text (2004)

  • NiCad batteries are great also because they can be recharged and used over and over again.

    Academic text (2000)

  • A pedal-powered generator to recharge cell phones could let villagers check prices before bringing products to market.

    Academic text (2011)

  • I need to recharge my phone before we go out tonight.

Synonyms

to charge
vsto recharge
156 2.3

Put electricity into a battery or device

refers more generally to refilling used items with power or energy
to revitalize
vsto recharge
  • US
45 4.8

To give new life and energy to something

is narrower and focuses on restoring literal power or battery life
to replenish
vsto recharge
43 4.3

Fill something again after it has been used up

focuses specifically on adding power or energy back into devices
to energize
vsto recharge
  • US
30 4.7

To give more energy to something, for example with electricity or light

instead aims at simply putting power back into a used device
to reinvigorate
vsto recharge
19 5.7

To give new energy and interest to a person or thing

is more about returning electrical or stored energy to items
to recharge my batteries
vsto recharge
  • Informal
3 4.1

To rest or do something fun to get energy again

applies to adding power back into devices, not to taking personal breaks
to recharge one's batteries
vsto recharge
  • Informal
1 3.6

Rest or take a break to get your energy back

means restoring physical or electrical power to objects rather than resting people
to reenergize
vsto recharge
  • Specialized
4.6

To give electrical power again to a machine or system after it is turned off

covers refilling used items too, not only restoring systems after shutdown

Antonyms

to deplete
13 6.3

To use up almost all of something so little is left

Idioms

to recharge one's batteries
  • Informal
1 3.6

Rest or take a break to get your energy back

Phrasal Verbs

to recharge my batteries
  • Informal
3 4.1

To rest or do something fun to get energy again

How Charged

to reenergize
  • Specialized
4.6
to recharge
29 3.6
to charge
156 2.3
to top up
3 3.2

Surface Forms

recharge infinitive
recharged past
recharged past participle
recharging present participle
recharges third person singular

Morphology

recharge = charge (transparent) = re + charge

The meaning is a straightforward application of re- meaning 'again' to the verb 'charge'.

Etymology

Recharge combines re- 'again' and charge 'to load or give power', so it literally means 'load again'. Think of plugging your phone into a charger to put power back into the battery, which is exactly what it means to recharge something.