reminisce
Americanverb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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reminiscesimple
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reminiscessimple
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have reminiscedperfect
-
has reminiscedperfect
-
am reminiscingprogressive
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are reminiscingprogressive
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is reminiscingprogressive
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have been reminiscingperfect progressive
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has been reminiscingperfect progressive
Past
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reminiscedsimple
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had reminiscedperfect
-
was reminiscingprogressive
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were reminiscingprogressive
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had been reminiscingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of reminisce
First recorded in 1820–30; back formation from reminiscence
Explanation
Reminisce is a dreamy way of saying "remember the past." If you're swapping old stories with friends and remembering all the silly things you used to do, then you're reminiscing. Reminiscing is all about happy recollections and thinking back to stories from the past. It's hard to reminisce about the old days with someone you don't know very well or haven't known very long, since a key part of reminiscing is a shared history. But just about anyone can reminisce about going elementary school, learning to tie shoelaces, or getting that first job.
Vocabulary lists containing reminisce
List 2
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
In interspersed interviews, Knoxville and his pals reminisce about their time together with a distinct wistfulness.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 29, 2026
They reminisce about the brown bread: those sweet, dark little wheat loaves scented with honey, molasses, cocoa powder and espresso.
From Salon ● Jun. 22, 2026
"The games make us reminisce about our childhood... not only can we be healthier, but we can also enjoy that nostalgic feeling with our inner child," Akira said.
From Barron's ● Jun. 15, 2026
Perhaps that's what gave him permission to reminisce about the Fab Four on The Boys of Dungeon Lane.
From BBC ● May 27, 2026
More than a minute passes before Franz speaks again; squinting at the sky, he begins to reminisce further about the time he spent in the youngster's company.
From "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer
Early in his extraordinary new documentary, “Remake,” seasoned filmmaker Ross McElwee reminisces with his young son, Adrian, about their travels together, presenting McElwee’s films at various festivals around the world.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
As the Tartan Army reminisces about those heady June days in Boston and Miami, a debate is emerging:
From BBC ● Jul. 14, 2026
Tracye, who describes herself as the tomboy of the group, reminisces on being dressed as what she calls a little jester one year.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 7, 2026
She reminisces on a childhood growing up in a repressive household during the 1960s, when second-wave feminism and the women’s liberation movement were just starting to achieve legitimacy.
From Salon ● Mar. 14, 2026
Naano gushes as she reminisces about this most wonderful day.
From "Zara’s Rules for Record-Breaking Fun" by Hena Khan
Others were pulled back to their lab days: “Considering volunteering my services as I have unintentionally killed Desmodesmus cultures many times,” one scientist reminisced on Bluesky.
From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2026
"Low plastic stool, cheap but delicious noodles, cold Hanoi beer," former US president Barack Obama reminisced about a meal he shared there with late chef Anthony Bourdain in 2016.
From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026
He reminisced about his mother buying him only generic “plastic” sneakers, then shared some of the discomfort he experienced when he moved into the nicer Brooklyn Heights neighborhood after he had some musical success.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 14, 2026
More recently, as Musk reminisced on what has occurred in his own life, he has sounded even more certain.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 4, 2026
Crammed in the car, the group sometimes tired of chess talk and reminisced about other adventures, real or imagined.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Harry Styles opened the first night of his record-breaking residency at Wembley Stadium by reminiscing about his audition for The X Factor, 16 years ago.
From BBC ● Jun. 13, 2026
Whether Musk was supporting SpaceX’s valuation or reminiscing about Tesla is unclear.
From Barron's ● Jun. 2, 2026
About 10 years ago, Stewart and Betty A. Buckley, who was a producer on “Wishbone,” found themselves reminiscing about their time on that show with the unforgettable dog.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
In a matter of minutes, the 24-year-olds found themselves in the thick of its “Star Wars” DVD and Blu-ray collection, reminiscing about the special features they enjoyed as kids.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 23, 2026
Something about the twin scars banked deep into his memory, but now was not the time for reminiscing.
From "The Princess Bride" by William Goldman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
