What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
retrospective
Example
The company held a retrospective meeting to discuss the successes and failures of the project. [retrospective: adjective]
Example
The museum is hosting a retrospective of the artist's paintings from the last decade. [retrospective: noun]
reminiscent
Example
The smell of freshly baked cookies was reminiscent of her grandmother's kitchen. [reminiscent: adjective]
Example
As she looked through old photo albums, she felt a sense of reminiscent longing for her childhood. [reminiscent: noun]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Reminiscent is more commonly used than retrospective in everyday language. Reminiscent is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while retrospective is less common and typically used in specific professional or academic contexts.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between retrospective and reminiscent?
Retrospective is more formal than reminiscent. It is often used in professional or academic contexts, while reminiscent is more commonly used in personal or informal contexts.
