reminisce

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 Billy Ray Cyrus reminisced Sunday on his early days of fatherhood and celebrated his own dad with a tribute shared online to commemorate Father's Day. Tracy Wright, FOXNews.com, 16 June 2025 The rest of the episode maintains the jovial spirit of the morning kikis as the cast takes shots around the pool, reminiscing on their turn-up the night before. Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 16 June 2025 The word passion crops up often when associates reminisce about Lauder, particularly when his son, William P. Lauder, executive chairman, reflects about his days with his father. Pete Born, Footwear News, 15 June 2025 During that episode, the three actors reminisced about their time on the set of the beloved sitcom, which aired between 1982 and 1993. Carson Blackwelder, People.com, 11 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for reminisce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reminisce
Verb
  • Cawley-Ford remembers when the stipends were put in place, saying the bonuses helped to raise UConn Health’s hourly wage to a level more in line with other hospitals in the state.
    Livi Stanford, Hartford Courant, 28 June 2025
  • Looking a little beyond that, a team from outside Europe winning would be remembered for a long time and would enhance the value of future editions.
    The Athletic Staff, New York Times, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • But something else to ponder: If the 2025 Club World Cup is a bit of a wash-out, will 2029 attract enough money to offer a similar prize pot?
    Chris Branch, New York Times, 19 June 2025
  • The time to ponder that question, set up boundaries, and guide how A.I. is assimilated into our workflow and lives was yesterday.
    Sarah Shachat, IndieWire, 12 June 2025
Verb
  • Comments Midway through season 6 of Boy Meets World, Rider Strong recalls feeling tired of acting out dramatic storylines for his character Shawn Hunter.
    Daysia Tolentino, EW.com, 21 June 2025
  • Now the court returned to the Erie doctrine which, it will be recalled, requires a federal court sitting in diversity jurisdiction to apply state substantive law but federal procedural law.
    Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • But Springsteen wasn’t spending all of his time ruminating.
    Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 24 June 2025
  • The latest one sees Gi-hun wrecked with guilt and ruminating on the grisly games he's found himself in on two separate occasions.
    Griff Griffin, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 June 2025
Verb
  • Such contracts are nothing new in Hollywood, and many scholars of classic Hollywood will likely recollect the strict contracts studios had for their stars in that era.
    Clement Obropta, IndieWire, 16 June 2025
  • In the days leading up to GMA's departure, the team fondly recollected their experiences working in the center of an iconic N.Y.C. landmark.
    Michael Nied, People.com, 13 June 2025
Verb
  • Then again, living in New York City, there aren't many opportunities to contemplate camel textures.
    Matt Dutile, Travel + Leisure, 21 June 2025
  • Yet Trump, whose administration had entered into talks with Iran aimed at reaching an agreement on the country's nuclear program, has backed the Israeli offensive and has openly contemplated joining the Israeli campaign through strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
    Tom O'Connor, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 June 2025
Verb
  • Create a system to analyze triggers and leverage them for self-development.
    Jodie Cook, Forbes.com, 20 June 2025
  • Get out of the way, nerds, some of us cool kids are trying to analyze decades-old YouTube sports clips.
    Sean McIndoe, New York Times, 20 June 2025
Verb
  • Integrating Information and Imaging the Brain Another way to explore the development of consciousness is to check for brain activity associated with this state in adulthood with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
    Christian Wolf, Scientific American, 25 June 2025
  • Dive into the mysterious and vital world of mangroves to explore how mangroves support biodiversity, protect shorelines from erosion, and combat climate change by capturing vast amounts of carbon.
    Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Reminisce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reminisce. Accessed 3 Jul. 2025.

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