reminiscing

American  

[rem-uh-nis-ing] / ˌrɛm əˈnɪs ɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of recalling past experiences or events, especially with pleasure or nostalgia.

   The benefits of reminiscing are widely recognized as having a positive effect on the emotional well-being of elderly people.

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adjective

1. engaged in or expressing such recollection.

   The reminiscing narrator sprinkles the narrative with self-conscious comments like "I remember" or "Funny, the things you remember."

Etymology

Origin of reminiscing

First recorded in 1865–70; reminisc(e) ( def. ) + -ing ¹ for the noun; reminisc(e) ( def. ) + -ing ² for the adjective

Example Sentences

There is a virtual crowd of female editors reminiscing and reflecting on Ms. Hillgrove and her work, and the fact that there was a celluloid ceiling in the film industry.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 22, 2026

In 1972, filmmaker William Greaves reconvened a group of artists and luminaries from the Harlem Renaissance including musicians, playwrights, poets and scholars at Duke Ellington’s townhouse for an afternoon of reminiscing and rumination.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 21, 2026

Their podcast is described as having "no script, no agenda, and no interruptions - it's the duo catching up, reminiscing, and seeing where the conversation takes them".

From BBC • Jan. 16, 2026

It was the kind of trip that settles into your bones, the sort you know you’ll be reminiscing about years from now.

From Salon • Jan. 13, 2026

Mama set out cookies, and after an hour of arranging ornaments and eating cookies and singing and reminiscing about Christmases past, the tree trimming was complete.

From "The Vanderbeekers of 141st Street" by Karina Yan Glaser