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 next

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 Mid-Century Stereo Equipment Records have made a major comeback, and flipping through a stack of vinyl to reminisce is relaxing. —

Jennifer Prince, Southern Living, 5 June 2026 Back in March, Brady reminisced on Vivian's childhood with a sweet throwback post, sharing an old photo featuring his only daughter. —

Hannah Malach, InStyle, 4 June 2026 The group’s posts, discussing everything from now-defunct rides to sharing historical photos, have become spaces for people to share their own memories of past visits or reminisce about their favorite roller coasters. —

Joseph States, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026 Meghan Markle and Prince Harry may renew their vows someday, but until then, there are many photos to reminisce on from their royal wedding on May 19, 2018. —

Nicole Briese, PEOPLE, 19 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for reminisce

Recent Examples of Synonyms for reminisce

Verb

Fans may remember Antonoff and Qualley's 2023 New Jersey wedding because Swift attended.

— Bryan West, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Was remembers the tumult, violence and hope that came out of that era in his hometown of Detroit.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026

Definition of remember

Verb

This anxiety often leads to rumination, where individuals endlessly ponder potential outcomes without actual preparation, mistakenly equating thinking with problem-solving.

— Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
Bravo is sipping its cuppa and pondering what to do about those interesting ladies across the pond.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 1 July 2026

Definition of ponder

Verb

Teammate Jordan Henderson, now at his fourth World Cup, recalled Kane scoring twice in the opener against Croatia to match Lineker and mistakenly thought this mark was already in Kane’s sole possession.

— Stephen Whyno, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2026
Amon recalled facing questions in 2021 about why Qualcomm was chasing so many rabbits at once, between developing its automotive business, its PC chips and industrial applications.

— Phil Wahba, Fortune, 27 June 2026

Definition of recall

Verb

Carmy is still figuring out his next move, interviewing for an internship at an architecture firm while ruminating on his experience at the Bear.

— Jen Chaney, Vulture, 26 June 2026
The characters have little time to make life-or-death decisions, let alone ruminate, and the action vacillates between triage and doctors expertly improvising solutions — like Mel (Taylor Dearden) donating her own blood, and Javadi (Shabana Azeez) going MacGyver mode with a tracheal tube.

— EW Staff, Entertainment Weekly, 25 June 2026

Definition of ruminate

Verb

Through its characters, the book stages an argument about the virtues of various types of maps—those that are measured, those that are recollected, those that are dreamed.

— Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 1 June 2026
Continually surrounded by well-wishers during an hour of socializing before a formal program of speakers and videos recollecting his career, Lubelfeld listened to what others had to say before speaking himself.

— Steve Sadin, Chicago Tribune, 29 May 2026

Definition of recollect

Verb

To see why, readers need only contemplate the growth of wealth around the United States at all income levels.

— John Tamny, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
But Cox and other officials warned anyone contemplating attending the fireworks festivities not to bring drones – or face arrest and a $100,000 fine.

— Josh Meyer, USA Today, 29 June 2026

Definition of contemplate

Verb

Cisco has built and is refining an AI tool for investor relations that analyzes its financial history alongside competitors’ earnings calls and can anticipate likely questions from specific analysts.

— Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 1 July 2026
In the new study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, researchers analyzed electronic health records from 2001 to 2023 for more than 700,000 pairs of mothers and children in Hong Kong.

— Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026