English Reference

Word

remember

Phoneticsre·mem·ber, stress on the second syllable

US/ɹiˈmɛmbɝ/

UK/ɹɪmˈɛmbɐ/

Definitions

01to recall information

A1 · Beginner

v. to have a picture or information in your mind from the past.

v. to retrieve information or images from memory; to have a mental representation of a past event.

“I remember her face clearly, but I cannot recall her name.”

“Even after twenty years, he could vividly remember the scent of the pine forest where they had spent their summers.”

Usage

often used with a direct object or a 'that' clause.

Pitfall

I am remembering my childhood.

I remember my childhood.

When describing a state of having a memory, use the simple present, not the continuous form.

Synonyms

recallrecollect

Antonyms

02to not forget a task

A2 · Elementary

v. to keep something in your mind so that you do it.

v. to remain mindful of a duty or intended action; to avoid forgetting a required task.

“Please remember to turn off the lights before you leave the office.”

“The pilot must remember to check the fuel levels manually before every takeoff, regardless of what the digital display indicates.”

Usage

takes a to-infinitive when referring to a future or required action.

Pitfall

I remembered to locking the door.

I remembered to lock the door.

Use 'remember + to-infinitive' for a task you need to do. Use 'remember + -ing' for a memory of a past action.

Synonyms

keep in mind

Antonyms

03to commemorate

B1 · Intermediate

v. to do something special to show you are thinking of a person or event from the past.

v. to honour the memory of a person or event through a formal act or ceremony.

“Every year, the town gathers to remember those who died in the war.”

“The monument was erected to remember the victims of the flood and to serve as a permanent reminder of the community's resilience.”

Antonyms

04to give a gift or tip

C1 · Advanced Formal

v. to give someone money or a gift to thank them for their help.

v. to reward someone with a gift or a legacy, typically as a token of appreciation for past service.

“In his will, he remembered all of his loyal employees with a small gift.”

“The elderly gentleman always remembered the staff at Christmas with a generous bonus in recognition of their attentive service throughout the year.”

Usage

often used in the context of wills or formal gratitude.

Synonyms

05to send greetings

B2 · Upper Intermediate Formal

v. to give someone's good wishes to another person.

v. to convey greetings or kind regards from one person to another.

“Please remember me to your parents when you see them next week.”

“Before hanging up the phone, she asked him to remember her to his sister, whom she hadn't seen since the wedding.”

Usage

typically used in the imperative 'remember me to...'

Synonyms

Confusables

remember vs memory

Remember is the action of bringing a thought back to mind, while memory is the mental storage or the specific thing you recall.

RememberRemember is the verb; memory is the noun.

remember vs remind

Remember is the internal act of recalling information, while remind is the external act of making someone else recall it.

RememberRemember is in your head; remind is from someone else.

Etymology

From Middle English remembren, from Old French remembrer (“to remember”), from Late Latin rememorari (“to remember again”), from re- + memor (“mindful”), from Proto-Indo-European mer-, (s)mer- (“to think about, be mindful, remember”). Cognate with Old English mimorian, mymerian (“to remember, commemorate”), Old English māmorian (“to deliberate, plan out, design”). More at mammer. etymology note The success of the Old French word was helped by its proximity in sound and meaning to an existing Germanic word: Old English mimorian, mymerian (“to remember, commemorate”) from Proto-Germanic mimrōną, mīmrōną (“to remember, be mindful”), from the same Indo-European source, and is akin to Saterland Frisian miemerje (“to ponder, reflect”), Middle Low German mimeren (“to ponder, meditate”), Middle Dutch mimeren (“to reflect, think to oneself”) (Dutch mijmeren (“to muse, reflect deeply”)), Old English ġemimor (“mindful”), Old Norse Mímir, Mim (“Norse god of memory”), Old English māmrian (“to think out, design”). Related to mourn. Displaced native Middle English ȝemuneȝen (“to remember”), from Old English ġemynegian (“to remember, remind”); Middle English minnen (“to remember, have in mind”), from Old Norse minna (“to remind”); Middle English munden, ȝemunden (“to bear in mind, remember”), from Old English ġemynd (“memory, remembrance”); Middle English ithenchen, ȝethenchen (“to think on, remember”), from Old English ġeþencan; Middle English manien (“to remind, mention, remember”), from Old English manian (“to admonish, remind, mention”).

From re- + member.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

VERB

remember(A1)

Related words

Grammar

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
Frequency
Very common
Level
A1 · BeginnerOxford
Updated

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