reminisce

Definition of reminiscenext

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 Nas uses the occasion to reminisce about an era when rap dudes rocked concert stages surrounded by dozens of homies laughing, smoking weed, and throwing bows. Mosi Reeves, Rolling Stone, 13 Dec. 2025 Look at the recent photos now, and reminisce about the years that have passed since the sci-fi series premiered! Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2025 Here Hedi El Kholti of Semiotext(e) and Dan Simon of Seven Stories reminisce about Indiana’s late renaissance, the role his publishers played, and on Gary as a friend. Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025 Many years in the future, Chiefs fans will gather for a beer and reminisce about quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reminisce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reminisce
Verb
  • Too often, history is reduced to remembering dates and names.
    Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 27 Jan. 2026
  • Just remember, alcohol isn't sold on Sundays in the state.
    Jenny Willden, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Take the time to ponder outdated habits or emotional scars.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Advertisement China has long pondered surgical strikes against Taiwan’s leadership, though any such move is likely to be self-defeating, given the island is a sustained democracy.
    Charlie Campbell, Time, 5 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The mood in the crowd was widespread anger and sadness — recalling the same outpour of wrath that shook the city for weeks after the killing of George Floyd in 2020, although without the widespread rioting that had occurred then.
    Jack Brook, Twin Cities, 25 Jan. 2026
  • Italy formally protested on Saturday the release on bail of the owner of a Swiss bar engulfed in a deadly New Year's Day fire and recalled its ambassador to Switzerland, as the court's decision came under criticism in both countries.
    Reuters, NBC news, 24 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • However, in its second episode, dedicated to the limitations of Sir Henry Muck (Kit Harington) and Yasmin’s (Marisa Abela) newfound marital bliss, the financial drama ruminates on generational trauma and the grace partners afford each other in times of crisis.
    Natalie Oganesyan, Deadline, 18 Jan. 2026
  • Slone has a much softer and more plaintive voice and, judging from his finely wrought songs, a tendency to contend with heartbreak not by going out and raging but by staying in and ruminating.
    Kelefa Sanneh, New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The rueful voice-over from myriad characters is spoken in the past tense, the onscreen moments (even the present-day scenes) seemingly being recollected long after.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Jan. 2026
  • Back at the Squawk, Joyce, Robin, and Will are recollecting themselves after the power surge and Will’s voyage into the Demogorgon.
    Maggie Fremont, Vulture, 27 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • But the new documents show that the school has been contemplating the possibility of a move for more than a year.
    Ben Bolch, Los Angeles Times, 10 Jan. 2026
  • After contemplating very deeply and carefully for many long hours attempting to discern a plausible alternative explanation for the rhetoric and the policies, what is the only thing that a reasonable person can conclude?
    Rafael Perez, Oc Register, 9 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The system can also analyze images to identify items and shop for similar products within a set budget.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 29 Jan. 2026
  • What researchers discovered inside iOS apps Security researchers at Cybernews, a cybersecurity research firm, analyzed the code of more than 156,000 iPhone apps.
    Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Want to explore the moon's ancient surface for yourself?
    Anthony Wood, Space.com, 25 Jan. 2026
  • That work became the foundation for the smartwatch system now being explored with families.
    Mayo Clinic News Network, Boston Herald, 25 Jan. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Podcast

Cite this Entry

“Reminisce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reminisce. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on reminisce

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!