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 And as officials work to determine what caused the blaze, area residents are reminiscing. —Zuri Primos, Kansas City Star, 2 June 2025 On May 31, the actors took the stage at a packed Paramount Theatre and reminisced about their days filming seven seasons of the drama centered on a New York advertising agency in the 1960s. —Erin Jensen, USA Today, 2 June 2025 In it, Dante and Randal get trapped in a freezer and reminisce about their crazy adventures — which mostly consist of the same clip from the pilot (which, again, hadn’t even actually aired because of the way ABC aired the show) repeated several times. —Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 31 May 2025 Then, reminiscing about the story, with Nani telling it. —Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 30 May 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
  • Sometimes the discomfort may seem overwhelming, but remember, this is where innovation thrives.
    — Gabrielle Boko, Forbes.com, 4 June 2025
  • Why Ana de Armas 'started crying' during flamethrower scene in 'John Wick' spinoff 'Ballerina' One day, Eve sees a baddie with an X brand on his wrist and remembers it from her father’s death.
    — Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 4 June 2025
Definition of remember
Verb
  • Tyler Dragon ponders if Rodgers actually makes the Steelers better.
    — Jim Reineking, USA Today, 7 June 2025
  • Tatis pondered the question of whether being hit has affected his hitting in any way.
    — Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025
Definition of ponder
Verb
  • Fans of the books will recall that Petunia was the sister of Harry’s mother, Lily.
    — Joe Otterson, Variety, 9 June 2025
  • Loew was made the mark in a kind of confidence game, Schulberg recalls, with Thalberg and Mayer putting on a show of activity at the failing Louis B. Mayer Productions that nonetheless impressed the Hollywood innocent.
    — Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 9 June 2025
Definition of recall
Verb
  • Having ruminated on his future with family, a deal that would bring him back to London permanently seemed the best option.
    — Roshane Thomas, New York Times, 30 May 2025
  • The original closet, the one housed at the company’s offices not far from Union Square, has over the years become a regular stop for filmmakers and other luminaries to score free discs and record videos ruminating about the movies that have shaped their lives.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 29 May 2025
Definition of ruminate
Verb
  • In the days leading up to GMA's departure, the team fondly recollected their experiences working in the center of an iconic N.Y.C. landmark.
    — Michael Nied, People.com, 13 June 2025
  • The Roman Emperor Domitian struck a truce with the Dacians that allowed Rome to recollect its strengths until a new emperor, Trajan, was ready for war a decade later.
    — A. Wess Mitchell, Foreign Affairs, 22 Apr. 2025
Definition of recollect
Verb
  • These appear to be slightly more survivable, although the casualty rate is so high no Western army would contemplate such tactics.
    — David Hambling, Forbes.com, 10 June 2025
  • Smart’s captors subjected her to rape daily, something that drove her to the point of contemplating suicide.
    — Stephanie Kaloi, People.com, 5 June 2025
Definition of contemplate
Verb
  • When something doesn’t work, don’t punish the misstep—analyze the inputs, refine the process, and reuse the insight.
    — Brent Gleeson, Forbes.com, 8 June 2025
  • Wilson said the cost of deferred infrastructure maintenance in La Jolla would be substantial, though it hadn’t been analyzed yet.
    — Michael Smolens, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 June 2025
Definition of analyze
Verb
  • Kids can splash in the gentle surf, explore interactive splash pads, or climb and play at the colorful beachfront playground, all just steps from the sand.
    — Rita Wells, Miami Herald, 13 June 2025
  • From adding color to her wardrobe to making meals for her children, Taylor told WWD that she is often refueled by stepping away from her work and loves to explore art and culture for inspiration.
    — Alexandra Pastore, Footwear News, 13 June 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 18 Jun. 2025.

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