reminisce: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1Neutral; can be used in both formal and informal contexts but more common in personal, narrative, or reflective speech/writing.
Quick answer
What does “reminisce” mean?
To think, talk, or write about enjoyable past experiences or memories.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
To think, talk, or write about enjoyable past experiences or memories.
To indulge in the process of recalling and reflecting on past events, often with a nostalgic, sentimental, or affectionate tone.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The word is used identically.
Connotations
Identical connotations of nostalgia and fond recollection in both dialects.
Frequency
Slightly more common in British English corpora, but the difference is marginal. Perfectly standard and common in both varieties.
Grammar
How to Use “reminisce” in a Sentence
reminisce about something/doing somethingreminisce with somebodyreminisce over somethingVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “reminisce” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The pensioners would meet at the café to reminisce about their national service days.
- She found an old photo album and spent the afternoon reminiscing.
American English
- At the family reunion, everyone reminisced about summers at the lake house.
- They sat on the porch reminiscing over their college years.
adverb
British English
- He spoke reminiscently of his time in the navy.
- She smiled reminiscently at the mention of his name.
American English
- My grandfather nodded reminiscently as he told the old tale.
- They laughed reminiscently about their first car.
adjective
British English
- The reunion had a wonderfully reminiscent atmosphere.
- His tone became soft and reminiscent.
American English
- Her stories put me in a reminiscent mood.
- The song was powerfully reminiscent of my childhood.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Might appear in informal contexts like retirement parties or company anniversary events: "At his farewell, they reminisced about his early projects."
Academic
Uncommon in core academic prose. May appear in autobiographical writing, oral history, or psychology texts about memory.
Everyday
Very common in personal conversation and narrative writing. Used when friends or family talk about shared past experiences.
Technical
Not a technical term. Might appear in literary analysis or narrative therapy contexts.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “reminisce”
- Using it for brief, non-nostalgic memories: *"I just reminisced that I left the oven on." (Incorrect - use 'remembered').
- Using incorrect preposition: *"reminisce on" (less common; 'about' or 'over' are standard).
- Confusing with 'remember' in all contexts.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically, no. 'Reminisce' strongly implies pleasant, fond, or bittersweet nostalgia. For neutral or negative memories, use 'recall', 'remember', or 'recollect'.
It is neutral in register. It is perfectly acceptable in formal writing (e.g., memoirs, reflective essays) but is most commonly found in everyday speech and personal narratives.
'Remember' is the general, neutral term for bringing past events to mind. 'Reminisce' is a specific, deliberate, and often prolonged act of recalling, always with a tone of pleasure, affection, or nostalgia.
The direct noun is 'reminiscence' (a memory or the act of reminiscing). The more common related noun describing the feeling is 'nostalgia'.
To think, talk, or write about enjoyable past experiences or memories.
Reminisce: in British English it is pronounced /ˌrem.ɪˈnɪs/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌrem.əˈnɪs/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “take a trip down memory lane (informal idiom with similar meaning)”
- “reminisce about the good old days”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine an old REM (rapid eye movement) sleep recorder (like for dreams). To 'REMINISCE' is to press the 'RE-MEMory' button and replay fond old mental scenes.
Conceptual Metaphor
REMEMBERING IS REVIEWING A MENTAL RECORD / REMEMBERING IS REVISITING A PLACE (e.g., 'take a trip down memory lane').
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'reminisce' correctly?