recur

UK: /rɪˈkɜː^r/ US: /rɪˈkɝ/ ,(ri kûr′)

Inflections of 'recur' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

recurs

v 3rd person singular

recurring

v pres p

recurred

v past

recurred

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•cur /rɪˈkɜr/   v. [no object] , -curred, -cur•ring. 

1. to happen again, as an event, experience, etc.:
   Snowstorms recur every winter.
2. to return to the mind:
   The idea kept recurring.

re•cur•rence, n. 

[countable] yet another recurrence.

[uncountable] recurrence of pain.

re•cur•rent, adj.: 

recurrent problems.

re•cur•rent•ly, adv. See -cur-.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

re•cur  (ri kûr′), v.i., -curred, -cur•ring. 

1. to occur again, as an event, experience, etc.
2. to return to the mind:
   The idea kept recurring.
3. to come up again for consideration, as a question.
4. to have recourse.

• Latin recurrere to run back, equivalent. to re- re- + currere to run
• earlier: to recede 1610–20

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

recur / rɪˈkɜː/ verb ( -curs, -curring, -curred)(intransitive)

1. to happen again, esp at regular intervals
2. (of a thought, idea, etc) to come back to the mind
3. (of a problem, etc) to come up again
4. (of a digit or group of digits) to be repeated an infinite number of times at the end of a decimal fraction

Etymology: 15th Century: from Latin recurrere, from re- + currere to run

reˈcurring adjective

reˈcurringly adverb