remember

verb

re·​mem·​ber ri-ˈmem-bər 

remembered; remembering ri-ˈmem-b(ə-)riŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to bring to mind or think of again

remembers the old days

2

archaic

a

: bethink sense 1b

b

: remind

3

a

: to keep in mind for attention or consideration

remembers friends at Christmas

b

: reward

was remembered in the will

4

: to retain in the memory

remember the facts until the test is over

5

: to convey greetings from

remember me to her

6

: record, commemorate

intransitive verb

1

: to exercise or have the power of memory

2

: to have a recollection or remembrance

rememberability

ri-ˌmem-b(ə-)rə-ˈbi-lə-tē 

noun

rememberable

ri-ˈmem-b(ə-)rə-bəl 

adjective

rememberer

ri-ˈmem-bər-ər 

noun

Synonyms

• flash back (to)
• hark back (to)
• harken back (to)
• hearken back (to)
• mind [chiefly dialect]
• recall
• recollect
• reminisce (about)
• reproduce
• think (of)

Choose the Right Synonym for remember

remember, recollect, recall, remind, reminisce mean to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind.

remember implies a keeping in memory that may be effortless or unwilled.

remembers that day as though it were yesterday

recollect implies a bringing back to mind what is lost or scattered.

as near as I can recollect

recall suggests an effort to bring back to mind and often to re-create in speech.

can't recall the words of the song

remind suggests a jogging of one's memory by an association or similarity.

that reminds me of a story

reminisce implies a casual often nostalgic recalling of experiences long past and gone.

old college friends like to reminisce

Examples of remember in a Sentence

I remember my first day of school like it was yesterday.

Do you remember me? I used to work with you many years ago.

Remember when we went hiking last summer?

I remember telling him not to do it, but he did it anyway.

I remember what that felt like.

As far as I can remember, I've never been late to a meeting.

I couldn't remember how to spell her name.

I can't remember where I put that book.

I remembered that I had left my wallet at home.

What was it that I was going to ask him? I can't remember.

Recent Examples on the Web

Wagner said Do’s legacy will outlast this controversy and that people will remember his leading role in clearing homeless encampments from riverbeds and the courthouse plaza. —Christopher Goffard, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2024

The Gamecocks will be remembered as outstanding champions. —Sean Gregory, TIME, 8 Apr. 2024

And nobody in the prolific prog-metal band can remember the last time all five musicians took part in an interview together. —Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 8 Apr. 2024

That may feel like deja vu to many Americans who remember the Brood X cicadas of 2021, which emerged in most of the Midwest and some eastern states. —Clare Mulroy, USA TODAY, 8 Apr. 2024

Joe remembers entering the VIP entrance at the First Union Center and nearly finding himself in an unsanctioned Mania match when Bob Backlund, a hero from Joe’s youth, put him in his dreaded finishing maneuver. —Shaheem Reid, Variety, 8 Apr. 2024

Instead, family members and longtime friends joined the stage as speakers stood and remembered Sinclair and others who devoted their lives to the fight to legalize marijuana. —Kylie Martin, Detroit Free Press, 7 Apr. 2024

Katrina White remembers just how determined her parents were to see her, and all her siblings, go to college. —Erin Moriarty, CBS News, 7 Apr. 2024

Kids who were a few years older at the time seem to remember more. —Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 6 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English remembren, from Anglo-French remembrer, from Late Latin rememorari, from Latin re- + Late Latin memorari to be mindful of, from Latin memor mindful — more at memory

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing remember

• a day to remember
• for as long as one can remember
• remember me to

Kids Definition

remember

verb

re·​mem·​ber ri-ˈmem-bər 

remembered; remembering -b(ə-)riŋ 

1

: to bring to mind or think of again

remembers the old days

2

a

: to keep in mind for attention

remember friends at Christmas

b

: reward entry 1 sense 1

was remembered in the will

3

: to keep in the memory

remember the facts for the test

4

: to pass along greetings from

remember us to your family

rememberable

-b(ə-)rə-bəl 

adjective

rememberer

-bər-ər 

noun