To recoup means to get back something you've lost, especially money or time. When a business owner recoups her costs, she earns back the money she spent starting the company. When you recoup your energy after soccer practice, you rest and recover what you spent running around the field.

The word often appears when someone makes an investment or takes a risk. A movie studio hopes to recoup the millions spent making a film by selling tickets. A student who stayed up late finishing a project might try to recoup lost sleep over the weekend. Your parents might recoup the cost of your baseball equipment by selling it when you outgrow it.

Recoup suggests getting back to where you started, breaking even after a setback. It's different from profit, which means gaining more than you put in. When you recoup, you're recovering what was yours, like earning back the allowance you spent on a gift or regaining the strength you used while climbing a mountain.