regain

regain — verb

1. to have something again that you lost or could no longer do, such as your health

1.動詞及物B2
釋義

to have something again that you lost or could no longer do, such as your health, a skill, your trust in someone, or a possession that was taken from you

例句

After months of therapy, Yuki regained the use of her left arm.

regain + the use of [body part]

The company worked for years to regain the trust of its customers.

regain + trust / confidence / reputation

同義詞
  • recover

    broader than regain; recover can apply to health, lost items, or emotional states, while regain focuses on getting back something you specifically had before

  • reclaim

    emphasises taking back something that someone else had control of, like land, rights, or time

  • retrieve

    suggests actively searching for and bringing something back, with more physical effort involved

  • recoup

    limited mainly to getting back money, time, or losses, especially in business contexts

反義詞
  • lose

    direct opposite — to no longer have something you once had

  • forfeit

    to lose or give up something as a penalty, often permanently

文法句型

regain + noun phrase

用法筆記

The object of regain is always something desirable that was lost — you cannot regain a problem or a negative state. Common objects include abilities (consciousness, sight, strength), qualities (trust, confidence, respect), and positions (control, power, the lead).

常見錯誤

❌He regained to walk after the accident.
✅He regained the ability to walk after the accident.
💡regain is transitive and must be followed by a direct object, not a to-infinitive.
❌She finally regained her flu and felt better.
✅She finally recovered from her flu and felt better.
💡regain is for getting back something good, not for recovering from something bad.

2. to manage to reach a place again after leaving it, especially when doing so requ

2.動詞及物B2
釋義

to manage to reach a place again after leaving it, especially when doing so requires effort or involves danger

例句

After getting lost in the forest, the hikers finally regained the main path.

regain + a path / route / trail

Nellie managed to regain the shore despite the strong currents.

同義詞
  • return to

    more general and neutral; does not imply difficulty or danger like regain does

  • get back to

    informal; works for simple returns without the dramatic tone of regain

反義詞
  • leave

    to go away from a place, the opposite of coming back to it

  • abandon

    to leave a place permanently, with no intention of returning

文法句型

regain + noun phrase (a physical location)

用法筆記

The object of this sense is always a physical location, often one that was temporarily lost or difficult to reach. The sentence usually implies that returning required effort, skill, or endurance. Distinguish from sense 1 (GET BACK), where the object is an ability, quality, or possession rather than a place.

常見錯誤

❌She regained to her hometown after many years.
✅She returned to her hometown after many years.
💡regain must be followed by a direct object (a place), not by 'to + place'. Use 'return to' or 'go back to' instead.
❌The team regained the city by walking there.
✅The team returned to the city by walking there.
💡regain in the place sense implies difficulty or danger; for simple return, use 'return to' or 'get back to'.