REMINISCE Synonyms: 69 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'reminisce' distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of reminisce are recall , recollect , remember , and remind . While all these words mean "to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind," reminisce implies a casual often nostalgic recalling of experiences long past and gone. // old college friends like to reminisce

Q: In what contexts can 'recall' take the place of 'reminisce'?

The words recall and reminisce are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, recall suggests an effort to bring back to mind and often to re-create in speech. // can't recall the words of the song

Q: Where would 'recollect' be a reasonable alternative to 'reminisce'?

The synonyms recollect and reminisce are sometimes interchangeable, but recollect implies a bringing back to mind what is lost or scattered. // as near as I can recollect

Q: When can 'remember' be used instead of 'reminisce'?

While in some cases nearly identical to reminisce , remember implies a keeping in memory that may be effortless or unwilled. // remembers that day as though it were yesterday

Q: When is 'remind' a more appropriate choice than 'reminisce'?

In some situations, the words remind and reminisce are roughly equivalent. However, remind suggests a jogging of one's memory by an association or similarity. // that reminds me of a story

reminisce

verb

Definition of reminisce

as in to remember

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

as in to ponder

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word reminisce distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of reminisce are recall, recollect, remember, and remind. While all these words mean "to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind," reminisce implies a casual often nostalgic recalling of experiences long past and gone.

old college friends like to reminisce

In what contexts can recall take the place of reminisce?

The words recall and reminisce are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, recall suggests an effort to bring back to mind and often to re-create in speech.

can't recall the words of the song

Where would recollect be a reasonable alternative to reminisce?

The synonyms recollect and reminisce are sometimes interchangeable, but recollect implies a bringing back to mind what is lost or scattered.

as near as I can recollect

When can remember be used instead of reminisce?

While in some cases nearly identical to reminisce, remember implies a keeping in memory that may be effortless or unwilled.

remembers that day as though it were yesterday

When is remind a more appropriate choice than reminisce?

In some situations, the words remind and reminisce are roughly equivalent. However, remind suggests a jogging of one's memory by an association or similarity.

that reminds me of a story

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 reminisce Looking back may be a sad endeavor, so just take the time to reminisce and then get on with what today has to offer. — Judith Levy, Sun Sentinel, 19 Aug. 2026 Disney Channel alum, and perhaps the best figurehead for the layered look, Ashley Tisdale is the go-to internet meme for when millennials want to reminisce about the Y2K fashion choices. — Emma Childs, Glamour, 17 July 2026 But Palvin’s episode also gives the couple an opportunity to reminisce about their relationship, which began in 2018. — Chris Murphy, Vanity Fair, 7 July 2026 Donna kept additional details about the wedding private, choosing instead to reminisce about taking her sons, Travis, 36, and Jason Kelce, to watch the Fourth of July fireworks as children. — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for reminisce

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reminisce

Verb

An omission requires the clinician to remember exactly what was said and then notice what is missing from the note.

— Pat Williams, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
Just about every player who played for the Canucks last season, and remember Vancouver finished in 32nd place in the NHL by 14 points, would’ve thoroughly dominated in that sort of environment.

— Thomas Drance, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of remember

Verb

The bottom line There is no universal answer for savers pondering whether a CD or high-yield savings account is the right choice for them now, after the first interest rate hike from the Federal Reserve in more than three years.

— Matt Richardson, CBS News, 16 Sep. 2026
In the Reliant Stadium visitors’ locker room Sunday afternoon, Moore leaned against a door and pondered what his debut might mean for the 2026 season.

— Tim Graham, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of ponder

Verb

Any costs or savings to administer recall elections would be dependent on which office was being recalled.

— Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 18 Sep. 2026
If an official is recalled, the office would be declared vacant in the manner provided by law for filling that vacancy.

— Cam'ron Hardy, Chicago Tribune, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of recall

Verb

So, Otto sits at the end of the counter, ruminating on the past weeks, then downs his glass of Gordon’s.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
The most tonally bizarre Apes movie ruminates on that question with a mixture of money-saving light comedy and mic-drop grimness.

— Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of ruminate

Verb

Father and son then recollect a life lived in secret as the filmmaker reflects on his own queerness.

— Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 24 July 2026
Homer’s poem never depicts the horse and the sacking of Troy in direct action; the city’s fall is recollected only in the form of stories that glorify Greece’s soldiers.

— Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 July 2026

Definition of recollect

Verb

Nvidia and other chipmakers fell more than 3% as investors contemplated the possibility that frontier labs could deliberately slow model development, and thus the massive infrastructure buildout thus far designed to support it.

— Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 14 Sep. 2026
The debate within the Democratic Party heading into the 2026 midterms offers a preview for those Democrats contemplating presidential bids in 2028.

— ABC News, ABC News, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of contemplate

Verb

When disruption hits, agents can then analyze the orders exposed to the delay, identify the materials that will run short and point to alternatives that have already cleared approval.

— Alex Saric, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2026
My goal is to analyze financial markets by taking a longer view of history, and to give broader context to recent events.

— Kelly Evans, CNBC, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of analyze

Verb

In the title role, Rosalind Eleazar explores the ups and downs of life as a working actor whose earlier success has stalled.

— Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
As research increasingly explores how the gut microbiome may affect everything from digestion and immune function to metabolism and brain health, many of us are better recognizing its influence and importance.

— Daryl Austin, USA Today, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of explore

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reminds

reminisce

reminisce (about)

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“Reminisce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reminisce. Accessed 20 Sep. 2026.

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