Remind vs. Recall — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 16, 2024
"Remind" means to prompt someone to remember something, while "recall" means to bring a memory back into one's mind. Both involve memory, but "remind" is external prompting, and "recall" is internal retrieval.
Difference Between Remind and Recall
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Remind" involves prompting someone to remember something, often by another person or an external cue. For example, a reminder notification can help you remember a meeting. "Recall," on the other hand, is the process of retrieving information or memories from one's own mind. You might recall a pleasant vacation when you see a beach photo.
"Remind" is often used in contexts where one person or thing triggers another's memory. For instance, a friend might remind you to bring an umbrella. In contrast, "recall" is used when someone independently brings a past event or information back to mind, such as recalling the name of a book you read last year.
In grammatical terms, "remind" is typically followed by an object and a preposition, like "remind someone of something." For example, "Please remind me of our appointment." "Recall," however, is often used with a direct object, like "recall a fact," or intransitively, as in "I can’t recall."
"Remind" is more commonly used in present situations requiring future actions or remembering obligations. For instance, "Remind me to call John tomorrow." "Recall" is used in both past and present contexts but is more introspective, like "I recall visiting that museum as a child."
"Remind" often carries a sense of duty or necessity, implying an action must be taken or remembered. E.g., "The alarm will remind you to take your medication." "Recall," however, emphasizes the mental process of retrieving information. E.g., "I recall the recipe includes cinnamon."
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Comparison Chart
Definition
To prompt someone to remember something
To bring a memory back to mind
Usage Context
External prompting
Internal retrieval
Grammar Structure
Often followed by an object and preposition
Used with a direct object or intransitively
Common Situations
Remembering future actions or obligations
Retrieving past information or events
Connotation
Sense of duty or necessity
Emphasis on mental retrieval
Compare with Definitions
Remind
To bring to someone's attention again.
This song reminds me of summer.
Recall
To remember an experience or fact.
Can you recall his name?
Remind
To make someone think of something.
Her smile reminds me of my sister.
Recall
To retrieve stored information.
She can easily recall all the details.
Remind
To cause someone to remember something.
Please remind me to send the email.
Recall
To ask or order to return
Recalled all workers who had been laid off.
Remind
Remind (previously Remind101) is a private mobile messaging platform that aims to help teachers, parents, students, and administrators in K–12 schools to communicate with everyone at once. The platform has more than 20 million monthly active users across the United States.
Recall
To remember; recollect
I don't recall her name.
Remind
To cause to remember; put in mind
Must remind him to call.
Reminded her of college days.
Recall
To be reminiscent of; seem similar to
A movie that recalls the screwball comedies of the 1940s.
Remind
(transitive) To cause one to experience a memory (of someone or something); to bring to the notice or consideration (of a person).
Recall
To summon back to awareness of or concern with the subject or situation at hand
The opening of the door recalled me from my reverie.
Remind
To put (one) in mind of something; to bring to the remembrance of; to bring to the notice or consideration of (a person).
When age itself, which will not be defied, shall begin to arrest, seize, and remind us of our mortality.
Recall
To cancel, take back, or revoke
Recall a move in chess.
Remind
Put in the mind of someone;
Remind me to call Mother
Recall
To bring back; restore
"an atmosphere of penetrating fragrance, the gentle potency of which had recalled her from her death-like faintness" (Nathaniel Hawthorne).
Remind
Assist (somebody acting or reciting) by suggesting the next words of something forgotten or imperfectly learned
Recall
To subject (an elected official) to a recall.
Remind
To give a reminder or prompt.
He reminded his team of the deadline.
Recall
To request return of (a product) to the manufacturer, as for necessary repairs or adjustments.
Remind
To jog someone’s memory.
The scent reminded her of her grandmother's house.
Recall
The act of recalling or summoning back, especially an official order to return
The recall of the ambassador.
Recall
A signal, such as a bugle call, used to summon troops back to their posts.
Recall
The ability to remember information or experiences
Has total recall of the accident.
Recall
The act of revoking
The recall of an answer in a spelling bee.
Recall
The procedure by which an elected official may be removed from office by popular vote.
Recall
The right to employ this procedure.
Recall
A request by the manufacturer of a product that has been identified as defective to return it, as for necessary repairs or adjustments.
Recall
(transitive) To withdraw, retract (one's words etc.); to revoke (an order).
Recall
(transitive) To call back, bring back or summon (someone) to a specific place, station etc.
He was recalled to service after his retirement.
She was recalled to London for the trial.
Recall
To remove an elected official through a petition and direct vote.
Recall
(transitive) To bring back (someone) to or from a particular mental or physical state, activity etc.
Recall
(transitive) To call back (a situation, event etc.) to one's mind; to remember, recollect.
Recall
To call again, to call another time.
Recall
(transitive) To request or order the return of (a faulty product).
Recall
The action or fact of calling someone or something back.
Recall
Request of the return of a faulty product.
Recall campaign
Recall
The right or procedure by which a public official may be removed from office before the end of their term of office, by a vote of the people to be taken on the filing of a petition signed by a required number or percentage of qualified voters.
Recall petition
Representative recall
Recall
(US politics) The right or procedure by which the decision of a court may be directly reversed or annulled by popular vote, as was advocated, in 1912, in the platform of the Progressive Party for certain cases involving the police power of the state.
Recall
Memory; the ability to remember.
Recall
The fraction of (all) relevant material that is returned by a search.
Precision and recall
Recall
To call back; to summon to return; as, to recall troops; to recall an ambassador.
If Henry were recalled to life again.
Recall
To revoke; to annul by a subsequent act; to take back; to withdraw; as, to recall words, or a decree.
Passed sentence may not be recall'd.
Recall
To call back to mind; to revive in memory; to recollect; to remember; as, to recall bygone days.
Recall
A calling back; a revocation.
'T is done, and since 't is done, 't is past recall.
Recall
A call on the trumpet, bugle, or drum, by which soldiers are recalled from duty, labor, etc.
Recall
The right or procedure by which a public official, commonly a legislative or executive official, may be removed from office, before the end of his term of office, by a vote of the people to be taken on the filing of a petition signed by a required number or percentage of qualified voters.
Recall
A request by the manufacturer of a defective product to return the product (as for replacement or repair)
Recall
A call to return;
The recall of our ambassador
Recall
A bugle call that signals troops to return
Recall
The process of remembering (especially the process of recovering information by mental effort);
He has total recall of the episode
Recall
The act of removing an official by petition
Recall
Recall knowledge from memory; have a recollection;
I can't remember saying any such thing
I can't think what her last name was
Can you remember her phone number?
Do you remember that he once loved you?
Call up memories
Recall
Go back to something earlier;
This harks back to a previous remark of his
Recall
Call to mind;
His words echoed John F. Kennedy
Recall
Summon to return;
The ambassador was recalled to his country
The company called back many of the workers it had laid off during the recession
Recall
Cause one's (or someone else's) thoughts or attention to return from a reverie or digression;
She was recalled by a loud laugh
Recall
Make unavailable; bar from sale or distribution;
The company recalled the product when it was found to be faulty
Recall
Cause to be returned;
Recall the defective auto tires
The manufacturer tried to call back the spoilt yoghurt
Recall
To bring back a memory into one's mind.
I recall visiting that park as a child.
Recall
To summon back.
The committee recalled the proposal for review.
Recall
To call back into existence or use.
He was recalled to active duty.
Common Curiosities
What does "remind" mean?
"Remind" means to prompt someone to remember something.
How is "recall" different from "remind"?
"Recall" involves internally retrieving a memory, whereas "remind" involves an external prompt.
Is "recall" only used for past memories?
Primarily, but it can also refer to retrieving information not tied to a specific past event.
Can you use "recall" in a sentence?
"I recall the exact moment we met."
What is a common phrase using "recall"?
"I recall our trip to Italy."
Can you use "remind" in a sentence?
"This book reminds me of my childhood."
Can "remind" be used without an object?
No, "remind" usually requires an object, such as in "Remind me of the date."
What is a common phrase using "remind"?
"Remind me to do the laundry."
Is "recall" a transitive or intransitive verb?
"Recall" can be both transitive and intransitive.
Can "remind" imply urgency?
Yes, it can imply the necessity of remembering something important.
Can "recall" refer to recalling products?
Yes, companies can recall products for safety reasons.
Does "remind" have a noun form?
Yes, "reminder."
Is "remind" a transitive or intransitive verb?
"Remind" is transitive.
Is there a noun form for "recall"?
Yes, "recall" is also a noun.
Can "recall" be used formally?
Yes, "recall" is used formally, especially in official contexts.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
