Definition of REMINISCED

Choose the Right Synonym for reminisce

remember, recollect, recall, remind, reminisce mean to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind. remember implies a keeping in memory that may be effortless or unwilled. remembers that day as though it were yesterday recollect implies a bringing back to mind what is lost or scattered. as near as I can recollect recall suggests an effort to bring back to mind and often to re-create in speech. can't recall the words of the song remind suggests a jogging of one's memory by an association or similarity. that reminds me of a story reminisce implies a casual often nostalgic recalling of experiences long past and gone. old college friends like to reminisce

What Comes to Mind When Thinking of reminisce?

Reminisce and its relative reminiscence come from the mind—that is to say, they come from the Latin word for "mind," which is mens. A root related to mens teamed up with the prefix re- to create the Latin verb reminisci ("to remember"), an ancestor of both words. Reminisce is one of several English verbs starting with re- that mean "to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind." Others in this group include remember, recall, remind, and recollect. Reminisce distinguishes itself from the others by implying a casual recalling of experiences long past, often with a sense of nostalgia.

Examples of reminisce in a Sentence

Ray pauses to point out the Whisky a Go Go, on Sunset Boulevard, and reminisces about the night Elvis Presley went there to see the Kinks play. — David Wild, Rolling Stone, 13 May 1993 When relatives reminisce about my great-grandfather, they almost always precede it with some reference to his affection for me. — Donna Tartt, Harper's, July 1992 We had apple fritters, roast chicken, an enormous lunch, with Mrs. Truman talkative, easy, and the President reminiscing and telling jokes. — Lady Bird Johnson 2 Sept. 1965,, A White House Diary, 1970 He reminisced with old buddies at his high school reunion. She reminisced about her time in Europe.

Recent Examples on the Web Some people came to look around and reminisce; others were there to put in bids for wall art, photographs, furniture, and even kitchen gear. — BostonGlobe.com, "Doyle’s Cafe, the," 7 Nov. 2019 Less than a month after their engagement and less than a week before their wedding, Fink found herself in a Starbucks, sitting in front of her planner, reminiscing. — Madeline Mitchell, Cincinnati.com, "Couple is gifted $30,000 wedding one month after their 'kidney anniversary'," 1 Nov. 2019 Afterward, many lingered at the school, finishing messages to the family on posterboards, and reminiscing together. — Jean Marbella, baltimoresun.com, "Tears and balloons at vigil for Carver student Kayla Perry, killed in collision," 25 Oct. 2019 Rhodes reminisced about his childhood and teen years saying that back then, races weren’t on T.V. The only way to keep up with NASCAR was listening to Motorsports Racing Network, or MRN, reading, and talking with likeminded friends. — Rebecca Angel Baer, Southern Living, "Talladega Superspeedway Celebrates 50 Years and One Alabama Man has been to all 100 Races," 16 Oct. 2019 The situation was finalized when Maddon and Epstein met in Epstein’s hotel room after Saturday’s 8-6 victory at St. Louis, sharing some wine and reminiscing about their wildly successful partnership. — San Diego Union-Tribune, "Manager Joe Maddon won’t be back with Cubs next season," 29 Sep. 2019 Every year, fans flock to social media to share the gif of that precious moment, or reminisce about the hit 2004 film and all of its quotable lines. — De Elizabeth, Teen Vogue, "Tina Fey and Busy Philipps to Co-Host "Mean Girls" Facebook Live Viewing Party on October 3," 28 Sep. 2019 The two friends talk about politics and the news – and reminisce about life before everyone had devices and smartphones. — Caitlin O'kane, CBS News, "92-year-old man volunteers at nursing home in his wife's honor," 18 Sep. 2019 People lingered on the corner of 6th Avenue and D Street to take pictures and reminisce about the retailer that had been an upscale clothing staple since 1975. — Marc Lester, Anchorage Daily News, "Anchorage’s Nordstrom closes its doors for the last time," 14 Sep. 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'reminisce.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Last Updated

18 Nov 2019

Cite this Entry

“Reminisce.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/reminisced. Accessed 22 November 2019.