remember

American  

[ri-mem-ber] / rɪˈmɛm bər /

verb (used with object)

• remembers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• remembered,
  past participle,  past
• remembering
  present participle

1. to recall to the mind by an act or effort of memory; think of again.

   I'll try to remember the exact date.

   Antonyms:

   forget

2. to retain in the memory; keep in mind; remain aware of.

   Remember your appointment with the dentist.

   Antonyms:

   forget

3. to have (something) come into the mind again.

   I just remembered that it's your birthday today.

4. to bear (a person) in mind as deserving a gift, reward, or fee.

   The company always remembers us at Christmas.

5. to give a tip, donation, or gift to.

   to remember someone in need.

6. to mention (a person) to another as sending kindly greetings.

   Remember me to your family.

7. (of an appliance, computer, etc.) to perform (a programmed activity) at a later time or according to a preset schedule.

   The coffeepot remembers to start the coffee at 7 a.m. every day.

8. Archaic. to remind.

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verb (used without object)

• remembers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• remembered,
  past participle,  past
• remembering
  present participle

1. to possess or exercise the faculty of memory.

2. to have recollection (sometimes followed byof ).

   The old man remembers of his youth.

remember British  

/ rɪˈmɛmbə /

verb

1. to become aware of (something forgotten) again; bring back to one's consciousness; recall

2. to retain (an idea, intention, etc) in one's conscious mind

   to remember Pythagoras' theorem

   remember to do one's shopping

3. (tr) to give money, etc, to (someone), as in a will or in tipping

4. to mention (a person's name) to another person, as by way of greeting or friendship

   remember me to your mother

5. (tr) to mention (a person) favourably, as in prayer

6. (tr) to commemorate (a person, event, etc)

   to remember the dead of the wars

7. to recover one's good manners after a lapse; stop behaving badly

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Synonym Usage

Remember, recall, recollect refer to bringing back before the conscious mind things which exist in the memory. Remember implies that a thing exists in the memory, though not actually present in the thoughts at the moment: to remember the days of one's childhood. Recall implies a voluntary effort, though not a great one: to recall the words of a song. Recollect implies an earnest voluntary effort to remember some definite, desired fact or thing: I cannot recollect the exact circumstances.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• rememberer
  noun
• rememberable
  adjective
• unremembered
  adjective
• unremembering
  adjective
• well-remembered
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• remembering
  present
• remembered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• remember
  simple
• remembers
  simple
• have remembered
  perfect
• has remembered
  perfect
• am remembering
  progressive
• are remembering
  progressive
• is remembering
  progressive
• have been remembering
  perfect progressive
• has been remembering
  perfect progressive

Past

• remembered
  simple
• had remembered
  perfect
• was remembering
  progressive
• were remembering
  progressive
• had been remembering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will remember
  simple
• will have remembered
  perfect
• will be remembering
  progressive
• will have been remembering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of remember

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English remembren, from Old French remembrer, from Late Latin rememorārī, equivalent to re- re- + Latin memor “mindful” ( see memory) + -ārī infinitive suffix

Explanation

To remember is to recollect, or to call upon your memory. Remember that time you fell out of your tree house and bonked your head? No? Go figure. There are many shades of meaning of remember, but at its core it refers to the act of recalling or thinking back. You can remember something fondly, like your first kiss, or you might remember something suddenly, like when the smell of tar brings back the time your bicycle wheel got caught in a pot hole and you fell off. To remember someone means you show appreciation, like when the Oscar winners try to remember all those names.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

remember remembers remembered remembering

Experiencing “Fjord” is more like playing a puzzle game than watching a film — viewers will be better served if they remember specific details for later.

From Salon ● Sep. 19, 2026

Through this wisdom of a masterclass designer, most of all I will remember Bob’s laughter.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026

"I remember the feeling of walking into somewhere that would change me," she said.

From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026

There’s a four-page analysis of “The Reflex” by Duran Duran, a song I don’t remember being “so important” and “so powerful” on its 1984 release before happily slipping from memory shortly thereafter.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Thus Phineas is left with the ability to keep his balance, to focus his attention, and to remember both old and new events.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

Teasdale remembers Graham's influence as "a breath of fresh air", but the presence of others was less helpful.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

He grew up on a dairy farm and remembers his father talking about people at harvest time, helping each other out then sharing "a bit of craic and banter".

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

When he was a teenager, Walters remembers, he dove into some catfish holes so vast he couldn’t find the back.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

One acquaintance remembers Coxon batting around different career paths as he searched for ways to optimize his life trajectory.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

And that same little corner of my mind remembers.

From "The Light in Hidden Places" by Sharon Cameron

"He was very driven," remembered Gillespie, who is still touring and making music at the age of 77.

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

Marcus Freeman wasn’t yet Catholic when he visited Notre Dame as a high-school recruit in 2003, but he remembered watching the football team walk from Mass to the stadium on game day.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026

And though he’s reticent to talk about his age or beliefs, at 64, Cruise seems to know how he wants to be remembered: not a Hollywood star, but a movie star.

From Salon ● Sep. 17, 2026

“I can’t believe these people are going to pay me a couple thousand dollars per episode to go fishing,” Walters remembered thinking.

From Slate ● Sep. 17, 2026

Clare smiled in an attempt to smooth things over, then remembered that his hideous toothy grin did more harm than good.

From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman

"She will only ever remain a part of this life if we keep saying her name and keep remembering her," Olivia says.

From BBC ● Sep. 19, 2026

The singer is already remembering the present before it has ended, the lyric moving backward and forward in time.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026

Nine days later Maddux started for the Braves in Montreal and took the mound remembering something his brother Mike, also a major league pitcher, had told him about Pride.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 13, 2026

Members of the Moneyist Facebook Group also suggest remembering the staff in your 24-hour bonanza at these two establishments.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026

He touched the scar on his cheek as though remembering the day he received it.

From "The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams" by Daniel Nayeri

Related Words

• commemorate
• get
• learn
• look back
• recall
• recognize
• relive
• remind