Synonym Chooser

How is the word remember distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of remember are recall, recollect, remind, and reminisce. While all these words 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

When would recall be a good substitute for remember?

The synonyms recall and remember are sometimes interchangeable, but recall suggests an effort to bring back to mind and often to re-create in speech.

can't recall the words of the song

When can recollect be used instead of remember?

The words recollect and remember can be used in similar contexts, but recollect implies a bringing back to mind what is lost or scattered.

as near as I can recollect

When could remind be used to replace remember?

Although the words remind and remember have much in common, remind suggests a jogging of one's memory by an association or similarity.

that reminds me of a story

In what contexts can reminisce take the place of remember?

While in some cases nearly identical to remember, reminisce implies a casual often nostalgic recalling of experiences long past and gone.

old college friends like to reminisce

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of remember But when Perez delivered the game-winning hit in the epic 2014 American League Wild Card Game that Royals fans will long remember, his newest teammate was just 11 years old. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 June 2025 These days, his two-year tenure running WarnerMedia is mostly remembered for Project Popcorn, the pandemic-era decision to release WarnerMedia’s entire 2021 slate of films simultaneously in theaters and on streaming. Peter Kiefer, HollywoodReporter, 4 June 2025 Pryor was a savant at polishing his challenging circumstances and debilitating neuroses into crowd-pleasing material, and this is broadly how he’s remembered in comedy history. Vulture Staff, Vulture, 23 May 2025 Ultimately, all the castaways remember their Island lives and have emotional reunions. Victoria Edel, People.com, 23 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for remember
Recent Examples of Synonyms for remember
recall
Verb
  • Reports of wood inside Dinty Moore Beef Stew led to Hormel Foods recalling the product Wednesday.
    David J. Neal, Miami Herald, 29 May 2025
  • The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has estimated that salmonella causes about 420 deaths annually in the U.S. A photo of the affected product in the Williams Farms Repack LLC recall.
    Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Remember.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/remember. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.

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