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 Nearly 50 Naismith Hall of Famers were participants, and many reminisce for the documentary. Steve Henson, Los Angeles Times, 17 Mar. 2026 Watch O'Brien reminisce on his Letterman appearance in the video below. Marina Watts, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026 Read on to reminisce with photos of the small-screen legend at home. Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 18 Feb. 2026 And leading up to the premiere, the Road to 50 episodes have given fans an opportunity to reminisce about the show and recall the upcoming players who will star on season 50. Christopher Kuhagen, jsonline.com, 18 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reminisce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reminisce
Verb
  • Senator Jacky Rosen, a Democrat from Nevada, asked the room to remember the Second World War and why it had been fought.
    Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Technically Depeche Mode and Tool headlined Coachella in 2006, but neither of those is the act everyone remembers from that year.
    Vanessa Franko, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • And maybe one of those records was… The bard of New England dares to get meaningful on this two-part song, which begins by pondering the mysteries of time and ends with a singalong ode to seasonal renewal.
    Brett Milano, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Let’s ponder recently released 2024 statistics.
    Jeff Goertzen, Oc Register, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Stout recalled a gopher tortoise his family called Herman that lived nearby for a few years during Stout’s childhood.
    Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 4 Apr. 2026
  • The late royal's former personal chef Darren McGrady recalled cooking dishes like spaghetti bolognese and Sol Florentine.
    Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 4 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Wood and Lawrence Saint-Victor sat down with Entertainment Weekly ahead of the big 9,000th, as well as the launch of BBTV, the new, dedicated streaming app that contains Bold's entire library of episodes, to ruminate on the legacy of The Young and the Restless' sister series.
    Ryan Coleman, Entertainment Weekly, 31 Mar. 2026
  • Boston, who serves as showrunner, creator, writer, and executive producer of the series has been ruminating on its terrors and delights for awhile now.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 27 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • But the Bruins recollected themselves, and the flow state returned on the other side of the timeout.
    Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 2 Mar. 2026
  • That suits the artless, unfiltered way Yo describes her life, spending a fair amount of time recollecting her own childhood.
    Leslie Felperin, HollywoodReporter, 20 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • That doesn't mean women never contemplate committing violence (and again, Emma never went through with her plan).
    Mike Miller, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Apr. 2026
  • After staring down 30, experiencing a career lull, and contemplating quitting music altogether, the singer staked her future in the industry on the fate of her fourth record.
    Harry Tafoya, Pitchfork, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Griffis analyzed 34 removal cases assigned to him.
    Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2026
  • There are more than 1,000 robust clemency applications pending in her office that have been vetted and analyzed by members of the governor’s clemency staff.
    Steve Zeidman, New York Daily News, 2 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Hunters exploring in a remote section of the 500,000-acre Pisgah National Forest stumbled onto a body in the dark, according to investigators in western North Carolina.
    Mark Price April 5, Charlotte Observer, 5 Apr. 2026
  • For those looking to get out and explore the region, the Reykjanes Peninsula has a lot to offer.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Reminisce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reminisce. Accessed 9 Apr. 2026.

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