Synonyms of reminisce

reminisce

verb

1

as in to remember

Synonyms & Similar Words

• remember
• recall
• recollect
• occur (to)
• come (to)
• learn
• cross
• dawn (on)
• memorize
• appear
• arrive
• emerge
• strike
• con
• materialize

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• forget
• ignore
• unlearn
• disregard
• neglect
• overlook

2

as in to ponder

Synonyms & Similar Words

• ponder
• ruminate
• contemplate
• reflect (on or upon)
• analyze
• explore
• entertain
• think (about or over)
• meditate
• weigh
• muse (upon)
• study
• consider
• debate
• mull (over)
• review
• revolve
• cogitate
• eye
• deliberate
• wrestle (with)
• pore (over)
• chew over
• question
• conclude
• turn
• reason
• speculate (about)
• perpend
• dwell (on or upon)
• believe
• kick around
• fixate (on or upon)
• opine
• obsess (about or over)
• fret (about or over)
• brood (about or over)
• conceive
• digest
• second-guess
• drink (in)
• assimilate
• absorb

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignore
• slight
• disregard
• overlook
• dismiss
• reject
• pooh-pooh
• pooh

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

Recent Examples of reminisce

The rest of the weekend was spent reminiscing with family, including Hannah's aunts who had also traveled in for the occasion. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025

By Jabari Young, Forbes Staff On a Friday afternoon in November, Junior Bridgeman is reminiscing about his time in the NBA. —Jabari Young, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2025

The tailgate is an opportunity for Eagles fans, who are known for their intense devotion, to eat, drink, reminisce and blow off steam. —Frank Langfitt, NPR, 8 Feb. 2025

Hogg demures by reminiscing about what the late Belgian filmmaker Chantal Akerman could have done with the task. —Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2025