reminisce

verb

Definition of reminiscenext
1
as in to remember

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2
as in to ponder

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Dissimilar Words

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 Ahead of her opening night performance, The Enquirer sat down with Siegel to reminisce on all things Cincinnati, the UC Bearcats (her alma mater) and Taylor Swift. 'On tour, I'm known as Mary from Cincinnati' Siegel is a Cincinnati girl through and through. —Kaycee Sloan, The Enquirer, 2 July 2025 Pearl teammates William Whitaker, Howard Gentry, Larry Wilhoite, Walter Overton, Sonny Lyons, David Campbell, Porter Williams and Doris Armstrong huddled at Swett’s Restaurant to reminisce together. —Tyler Palmateer, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025 Perry last played metro Phoenix in 2018 when Witness: The Tour hit Glendale for a night at what's now called Desert Diamond Arena, where the singer reminisced about her childhood in the Valley. —Ed Masley, AZCentral.com, 9 July 2025 Grohl’s lengthy statement reminisces about encountering Nate Mendel for the first time on Thanksgiving in 1994, and how that chance meeting resulted in the birth of the Foo Fighters. —Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 2 July 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
  • He and the broadcast will be remembered in the pantheon of greats that graced late-night television.
    — Jack Dunn, Variety, 22 July 2025
  • Many remember the implosion of Michael Eisner at Disney soon after losing $140 million hiring super-agent Michael Ovitz, who left in failure soon after joining.
    — Preston Fore, Fortune, 10 July 2025
Definition of remember
Verb
  • The Rafael Devers blockbuster is probably the biggest deal that will go down, but the temptation is there to ponder other earthshaking possibilities, no matter how remote.
    — Ken Rosenthal, New York Times, 11 July 2025
  • Viewing the team’s three-year stint here as an audition of sorts, officials have pondered if the local enthusiasm for baseball could help prove the Sacramento region as a welcome home for MLB.
    — Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 10 July 2025
Definition of ponder
Verb
  • Since recalls generally fall under warranty coverage, these new concerns directly contribute to these costs.
    — Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • Bardugo recalled the uproarious reaction to her first book, Ninth House, a bold tale following a Yale student that seeks to uncover the university's secret societies.
    — Rachel Raposas, People.com, 15 July 2025
Definition of recall
Verb
  • Humanity And The Future A final thought to ruminate on.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025
  • So a whole life, just waiting on death, ruminating on it, anticipating it.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 21 July 2025
Definition of ruminate
Verb
  • Wright was speaking at the Monte-Carlo TV Festival and recollected her battle for equal pay on the Netflix hit.
    — Stewart Clarke, Deadline, 16 June 2025
  • Such contracts are nothing new in Hollywood, and many scholars of classic Hollywood will likely recollect the strict contracts studios had for their stars in that era.
    — Clement Obropta, IndieWire, 16 June 2025
Definition of recollect
Verb
  • Levine Cava is reportedly contemplating $25 million in savings from the Parks budget, but the details aren’t known.
    — Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 11 July 2025
  • The question of how to deal with the fracturing has scientists contemplating the best course of action.
    — Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 11 July 2025
Definition of contemplate
Verb
  • The investment bank analyzed ongoing court battles and legislative authority, and concluded that Trump’s reliance on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) to impose wide-ranging tariffs and cut bilateral deals far exceeds the powers granted by Congress.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 25 July 2025
  • Research analyzing millions of profiles reveals that both men and women often pursue partners who are estimated to be about 25% more attractive than themselves, despite these advances yielding fewer responses.
    — Ximena Araya-Fischel, Forbes.com, 25 July 2025
Definition of analyze
Verb
  • The piece explores bureaucracy and unemployment through two people preparing for a job interview with a telecommunications company.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 19 July 2025
  • Instead of a sensational re-creation of the tragic events that led to their arrests decades prior, the feature-length documentary explores remorse and asks how much time in prison is enough.
    — John J. Lennon, Rolling Stone, 19 July 2025
Definition of explore

Browse Nearby Words

reminds
reminisce
reminisce (about)
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Cite this Entry

“Reminisce.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/reminisce. Accessed 30 Jul. 2025.

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