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 While sports fans are excited for this year’s games, there are those who reminisce about their time on that March Madness court. Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 17 Mar. 2026 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 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
  • This pick, remember, came as part of a brilliant trade Snead made a year ago with Atlanta.
    Zak Keefer, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
  • Some of these cards can cost nearly $1,000—but are marketed as being worth thousands more in perks, only if the cardholder remembers to use it accordingly.
    Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 27 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Redditors also ponder an IKEA cookie relation.
    Alex Beggs, Bon Appetit Magazine, 25 Apr. 2026
  • First, there are the big-name athletes to find and woo into competing on the streets of the UK’s capital, then the pace-makers, the notable debutants, and the tantalising head-to-heads to create; there’s the hotel bookings, the visas, the flights, the prize money and even bonuses to ponder over.
    Liam Tharme, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • In the story, when the news of the bombing breaks, all the staff recall their memories of visiting Boston.
    Cressida Leyshon, New Yorker, 26 Apr. 2026
  • Bode recalled in a video shared on TikTok.
    Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • But Gernsback's innovation of collecting previously-diffuse bits of literature ruminating on scientific discovery or technological advancement in one place proved to be an idea with staying power.
    Chris Klimek, NPR, 25 Apr. 2026
  • My assignment was to ruminate on the quiet, to contemplate it, and if all went well, to exult in it.
    Matt Crossman, Midwest Living, 14 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Cole recollected that Linda seemed compassionate.
    Zach Helfand, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2026
  • But the Bruins recollected themselves, and the flow state returned on the other side of the timeout.
    Haley Sawyer, Oc Register, 2 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Leonard’s deal with Aspiration occurred as Ballmer invested in the company and as the Clippers and Aspiration signed deals that contemplated a $300 million partnership for Aspiration to sponsor the Clippers’ arena and the team’s jersey patch.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 24 Apr. 2026
  • The paintings incorporate scenes Martinez witnessed during nighttime walks through Istanbul, contemplating the boundaries and borders created by the city’s barriers, amid political unrest and oppression.
    Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 24 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • But the new traffic data the railroads analyzed from all the major freight railroads convinced executives that more job growth is likely.
    Josh Funk, Chicago Tribune, 30 Apr. 2026
  • BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 30 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • That’s manifest fabulously well here by Cedric and Santiago-Hudson, with Boyd and Wureh exploring the fate of young women adrift in this landscape and relying on men for an anchor, a rooting that too often proved elusive.
    Chris Jones, New York Daily News, 26 Apr. 2026
  • In September 2025, the City Council voted to explore whether Los Angeles could withdraw all legally allowable homelessness funding from LAHSA and instead contract with the county’s new homelessness department.
    Teresa Liu, Daily News, 25 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Reminisce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reminisce. Accessed 3 May. 2026.

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