remember
To bring something from the past back into your mind.
Word facts
Definition
To remember means to bring something from the past back into your mind. When you remember something, your memory retrieves it — you are able to think about it, recognize it, or keep it in mind. You can remember facts, faces, feelings, and events.
Usage: Remember + infinitive means recalling something you need to do (Remember to lock the door). Remember + gerund means recalling a past event (I remember locking the door). These two patterns have very different meanings.
Example sentences
- 1
She struggled to remember where she had put her keys that morning.
- 2
He will always remember the day he crossed the finish line of his first marathon.
- 3
Remember to send the confirmation email before the end of the business day.
Word family
From Old French remembrer and Latin rememorari ('to call to mind again'), from re- ('again') + memorari ('to be mindful of'). Related to 'memory' and 'memorial' — all sharing the Latin root memoria.
Re + member. Think of 'member' as a piece. To remember is to re-assemble the pieces of a past moment in your mind — putting the members back together.
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FAQ
Questions people ask
What is the noun form of remember?
The closest noun is remembrance. Example: a ceremony of remembrance. Memory is also closely related.
How many syllables does remember have?
Remember has 3 syllables: re-mem-ber. The stress is on the middle syllable: re-MEM-ber.
What is the difference between remember and memorize?
To remember is to naturally recall something. To memorize is to consciously study something until you can recall it reliably.
What does 'I don't remember' mean?
It means your memory does not currently hold or cannot retrieve a particular piece of information.