reminisce

verb

Definition of reminiscenext
1
as in to remember

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to ponder

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 In an emotional interview alongside Marino, who is seen wiping away tears, Watson, whose character has many scenes with A.B., reminisced about working with Braugher and the shock of his death. —Nellie Andreeva, Deadline, 20 Mar. 2025 Explore John Legend Lauryn Hill See latest videos, charts and news During the interview, Legend reminisced about one of his earliest experiences in the music industry—meeting Lauryn Hill and earning his first-ever recording credit on her groundbreaking album The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill. —Jessica Lynch, Billboard, 19 Mar. 2025 Some viewers reminisced about getting free donuts as kids, while others joked about dusting off decades-old report cards to give it a shot. —Stephanie Gravalese, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025 Both stars have reminisced about their experiences in the years since. —Victoria Edel, People.com, 17 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for reminisce
Recent Examples of Synonyms for reminisce
  1. remember
  2. ponder
  3. recall
  4. ruminate
  5. recollect
  6. contemplate
  7. analyze
  8. explore
Verb
  • On eBay right now, the phablet (remember that phrase?) is selling for a rough average of $250.
    — Janhoi McGregor, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • The actor remembered goofing around on set between takes, with Kilmer using a personal video camera to make a personal record.
    — Caroline Frost, Deadline, 5 Apr. 2025
Definition of remember
Verb
  • Fans took to the comments to both praise and ponder Trainor's new look.
    — Tracy Wright, Fox News, 23 Mar. 2025
  • For the six years between the two boys’ deaths, James, too, was pondering suicide—Vincent’s, and then, at some point, his own.
    — Yiyun Li, The New Yorker, 23 Mar. 2025
Definition of ponder
Verb
  • According to the Echo, bystanders recalled the three passengers performing CPR for 50 minutes.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, People.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • Amina tried to recall their exchange at the café, the way Vincent had flattered them.
    — Ayşegül Savaş, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2025
Definition of recall
Verb
  • McBride is by no means the only House member who has been ruminating on the topic.
    — Oriana González, Them, 21 Mar. 2025
  • In the video, Jim goes through the motions of catching the city bus to ride to school — uniform and all — before goofing off in class with his friends and later playing Xbox in his bedroom, all while ruminating on an absent father.
    — Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 19 Mar. 2025
Definition of ruminate
Verb
  • The harsh band meeting – set up with Hoffs, Steele, managers and press agents – that cemented their demise is painstakingly recollected in the book as more of an ambush of the Petersons.
    — Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Editor Scott Sheppard interweaves footage of Hernandez’s family in heart-rending emotional moments, recollecting Hernandez’s prison sentence and their own efforts to help get him out.
    — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 16 Mar. 2025
Definition of recollect
Verb
  • To recognize the Fed’s insignificance, all readers need to do is contemplate all the attention given the central bank by economists and pundits.
    — John Tamny, Forbes.com, 30 Mar. 2025
  • That type of payment would also not be allowed under the House settlement, which contemplates payment for a share of media, ticket and sponsorship revenue.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of contemplate
Verb
  • His knack for reading teammates’ energy and needs is just as sound as his ability to analyze an opponent’s game plan during live action.
    — James Jackson, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
  • In the new study, researchers analyzed subsidiary burials, or the remains of people that were buried near or around a central burial.
    — Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 28 Mar. 2025
Definition of analyze
Verb
  • Swedish artist Lap-See Lam, whose multidisciplinary practice explores narratives and myths surrounding the Cantonese diaspora in Europe, particularly in Sweden, has been announced as the 2025 recipient of the Henie Onstad Kunstsenter’s Lise Wilhelmsen Art Award.
    — News Desk, Artforum, 2 Apr. 2025
  • Perhaps unexpectedly, Bouyer was soon exploring a new medium: magazines.
    — Elias Leight, Billboard, 2 Apr. 2025
Definition of explore

Browse Nearby Words

reminds
reminisce
reminisce (about)
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Reminisce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reminisce. Accessed 9 Apr. 2025.

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