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

Examples 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 Barbara beams, reminiscing on meals she’s cooked in the same vein. Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 4 Dec. 2024 Jimmie remembers her daughter’s life as vibrant, reminiscing on her childhood as a cheerleader, gymnast, and an academically gifted student. Nicolás Viñuela, NBC News, 1 Dec. 2024 Alumni may reminisce about their college days, and current students can access a plethora of information and insights from others who have been through similar situations. Tyler Shepherd, USA TODAY, 21 Nov. 2024 This strategy has been known for over a year, and already had its detractors who lamented the demise of Jaguar’s V6, V8 and V12 engines, reminisced about the racing pedigree, and questioned where this left those who have loved the brand over the decades. James Morris, Forbes, 23 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for reminisce 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reminisce
Verb
  • My Michigan Wolverines beat the Ohio State Buckeyes in one of the greatest upsets anyone can remember.
    Jay Nordlinger, National Review, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Thompson remembers watching one of the men in a cell next to him deteriorate after experiencing intense sleep deprivation.
    Keri Blakinger, Los Angeles Times, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Nationwide confusion over which Ron Johnson got the job Once Trump announced his pick of Johnson as the incoming U.S. ambassador to Mexico, social media lit up with politicians and citizens alike that pondered which Ron Johnson received the role.
    Rey Covarrubias Jr., The Arizona Republic, 13 Dec. 2024
  • After interviewing for the Atlanta Falcons and the job subsequently going to Raheem Morris, Belichick has dabbled in the media business while pondering his next steps on the sidelines.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Theater historian Walter James MacQueen-Pope, whose name alone weaves a pattern in Harris tweed, recalls being a kid and having the ultimate seasonal threat dangled overhead: behave, or no panto for you.
    The Editors, JSTOR Daily, 18 Dec. 2024
  • One intelligence officer tasked with authorizing a strike recalled dedicating roughly 20 seconds to personally confirming a target, which could amount to verifying that the individual in question was male.
    Yasmeen Serhan, TIME, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • People filled comment sections for videos and posts about the shooting with unsympathetic replies, pointing out UnitedHealthcare’s reputation for denying claims, and ruminating on how much suffering Thompson was responsible for at the helm of the company.
    Ali Breland, The Atlantic, 11 Dec. 2024
  • The versatile, always-all-in Mars is a worthy lodestar for Rosé and Rosie, an album that whirls through 21st-century pop idioms with aplomb even as its heroine ruminates on heartache and anxiety.
    Maura Johnston, Rolling Stone, 6 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • His new podcast series, Inevitable, recollects the first chapter of his career, and he’s spent the past few weeks re-releasing his early mixtapes to DSPs.
    Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 3 Dec. 2024
  • Those losses sank her into a morass of regret and substance use, which spurred a break from the industry to recollect.
    Andre Gee, Rolling Stone, 5 Nov. 2024
Verb
  • In the summer after their first year studying architecture at the University of Hong Kong, Jeff Li and Joseph Wong were contemplating hats and climate change.
    Olatunji Osho-Williams, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Dec. 2024
  • Rivalries and mutual suspicion mounted over the years and came to a head when Ghosn openly contemplated a merger, contributing to his downfall.
    Bloomberg, The Mercury News, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Collecting and organizing this data is just the start of the challenge; the real challenge is finding the time, opportunity, and tools for instructors to analyze this data to produce better student outcomes.
    Ray Ravaglia, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
  • For a study published in the journal Antiquity, researchers analyzed more than 3,000 bones and bone fragments attributed to dozens of individuals from the Early Bronze Age site of Charterhouse Warren in southwest England.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • During last year’s Winter Meetings, Brown emphatically denied that the team would explore trades for impending free agent Alex Bregman, making Monday’s acknowledgment a departure from Houston’s standard operating procedure.
    Chandler Rome, The Athletic, 10 Dec. 2024
  • The mountain offers 105 trails and a charming mountain village to explore.
    Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 9 Dec. 2024

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Thesaurus Entries Near reminisce

Cite this Entry

“Reminisce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reminisce. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on reminisce

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