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 Eugene Levy, Martin Short, Jayne Eastwood and others reminisce about the 1972 Toronto production of the musical Godspell, where Short, Levy, Gilda Radner, Victor Garber, Paul Shaffer and other entertainment icons got their start. — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2026 Carried in on a throne held up by shirtless men, Bravo’s prodigal daughter takes the mic to speak to the crowd and reminisce on her ups and downs as an Atlanta Housewife. — Ile-Ife Okantah, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026 In a 2016 interview with i-D Magazine, the two women sat down together to reminisce about their friendship. — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2026 The group took a moment to paused the conversation to reminisce about Parton. — Frank Witsil, Freep.com, 31 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for reminisce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reminisce
Verb
  • For Hernandez, the altar is a chance to grieve, remember and find strength in one another.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Others remembered LePage’s governorship in a positive light and planned to vote for him this fall.
    — David Sivak, The Washington Examiner, 27 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • No one interested in pondering what looks like an intractably difficult conflict need turn their attention to Iran or Israel.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Newsom, in the podcast, appeared to already be considering them while pondering what to do next.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Now owned by the state of Bavaria, the ⁠Kehlsteinhaus ​was classified after the ​war as a historical monument recalling the Nazi period.
    — Reuters, NBC news, 24 Oct. 2026
  • Everyone was chatting and enjoying the beautiful weather, Spiro, a 36-year-old rabbi at Hill Havurah congregation in Washington, recalled.
    — Liam Scott, Washington Post, 23 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • So, Otto sits at the end of the counter, ruminating on the past weeks, then downs his glass of Gordon’s.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The most tonally bizarre Apes movie ruminates on that question with a mixture of money-saving light comedy and mic-drop grimness.
    — Jesse Hassenger, Entertainment Weekly, 2 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Father and son then recollect a life lived in secret as the filmmaker reflects on his own queerness.
    — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 24 July 2026
  • Homer’s poem never depicts the horse and the sacking of Troy in direct action; the city’s fall is recollected only in the form of stories that glorify Greece’s soldiers.
    — Natasha O'Neill, Vanity Fair, 16 July 2026
Verb
  • Article 39 also contemplates an Accountability and Care Committee that helps to develop injury-surveillance systems and conducts investigations.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 26 Oct. 2026
  • Anyone contemplating retirement abroad should investigate insurance, emergency arrangements and the ability to pay upfront before making the move.
    — Lance B. Fulford, Fortune, 25 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • By analyzing drone data, the government concluded that they were launched from Ethiopian soil, added Abdel Qader in a SUNA report.
    — YASSIR ABDALLA, Arkansas Online, 29 Oct. 2026
  • After a drone lands, the CLARKE system can analyze images without an internet connection, and teams can then send compact reports detailing building damage and road conditions, rather than huge image files.
    — Zoë Schiffer, semafor.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • The proof of concept combines robotic manipulation, AI and virtual simulation to explore how robots can pick components from containers and arrange them in the correct order for vehicle assembly.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026
  • Recast as geometry, the old identities now point toward unmapped territory, raising questions that mathematicians are eager to explore.
    — Lyndie Chiou, Scientific American, 29 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Reminisce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reminisce. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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