Definition of remembernext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word remember distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of remember are recall, recollect, remind, and reminisce. While all these words mean "to bring an image or idea from the past into the mind," remember implies a keeping in memory that may be effortless or unwilled.

remembers that day as though it were yesterday

When would recall be a good substitute for remember?

The synonyms recall and remember are sometimes interchangeable, but recall suggests an effort to bring back to mind and often to re-create in speech.

can't recall the words of the song

When can recollect be used instead of remember?

The words recollect and remember can be used in similar contexts, but recollect implies a bringing back to mind what is lost or scattered.

as near as I can recollect

When could remind be used to replace remember?

Although the words remind and remember have much in common, remind suggests a jogging of one's memory by an association or similarity.

that reminds me of a story

In what contexts can reminisce take the place of remember?

While in some cases nearly identical to remember, reminisce implies a casual often nostalgic recalling of experiences long past and gone.

old college friends like to reminisce

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 remember Courtney Mays, a top NBA and WNBA stylist who works with Chris Paul, Kevin Love, Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner, DeAndre Jordan and others, remembers the days when calls weren’t always returned. Chris Gardner, HollywoodReporter, 3 Sep. 2026 From there, both Doocy and Kilmeade remember hours of work and of staying in different hotel rooms in New York after the city closed access. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 3 Sep. 2026 Witten, a former Tennessee great, is a name to remember if UT ends up with a coaching search down the road. Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026 Jangale remembers software errors and a drivetrain that proved too weak to roll over soft bumps in initial tests. IEEE Spectrum, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for remember
Recent Examples of Synonyms for remember
recall
Verb
  • Those songs and more were performed during his set by an ace band that included two drummers, whose polyrhythmic beat recalled the Burundi-like drumming of Ant’s 1980 masterpiece Kings of the Wild Frontier.
    David Chiu, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Cole recalled how, at the close of those early shows, the drawings were removed from their frames and returned to Auckland, to be put back in their cupboards.
    Laura Preston, New Yorker, 30 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Remember.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/remember. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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