Remember vs. Recall

'Remember' and 'recall' are synonyms but they have a subtle difference which we are going to discuss in this lesson.

Both 'remember' and 'recall' refer to a process of bringing past experiences, events, or information back to one's awareness. However, 'recall' can denote a more deliberate effort to access and bring forth stored memories while 'remember' can involve both intentional and spontaneous retrieval of memories. Below, we are going to discuss the difference between the two verbs in more detail.

Difference

'Recall' often implies a more deliberate and conscious effort to retrieve specific information or memories. It can involve actively searching for and retrieving specific facts, details, or events from memory. 'Remember', however, is a more general term and can include both conscious and automatic processes of bringing memories to mind. It can describe memories that spontaneously come to consciousness without a deliberate effort. For example:

I can't recall his phone number right now.

Can you recall the name of the book you recommended to me?

I remember visiting that place when I was a kid.

The smell of freshly baked cookies always makes me remember my grandmother's kitchen.