To reclaim something means to take back what was yours or to recover something that was lost or taken away. When you reclaim a toy your little brother borrowed without asking, you're getting back what belongs to you. When a library reclaims overdue books, it's retrieving property that should have been returned.

The word often suggests effort or determination in getting something back. A basketball team might reclaim victory after trailing in the first half. A country might reclaim land from the sea by building barriers and draining water, creating new space for farms or cities (the Netherlands famously reclaimed huge areas this way). Environmental groups work to reclaim polluted rivers, restoring them to health after years of damage.

Reclaim can also mean taking back a word or idea that was once used negatively and giving it positive meaning. Throughout history, groups have reclaimed terms that were meant to insult them, transforming those words into badges of pride.

When you reclaim something, you're actively taking control, asserting your right to it, and often working to restore it to its proper condition or purpose. This requires effort and determination, whether you're reclaiming physical property, land, or even the meaning of words.