amnesia
noun
am·ne·sia
am-ˈnē-zhə 
1
: loss of memory due usually to brain injury, shock, fatigue, repression, or illness
2
: a gap in one's memory
3
: the selective overlooking or ignoring of events or acts that are not favorable or useful to one's purpose or position
… Americans seemed to develop a willful forgetfulness about the nation's longest military conflict, an amnesia that lasted for nearly a decade.—
Alan Brinkley
Alan BrinkleyExamples of amnesia in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Unfortunately, the measles virus can target and destroy these cells in your immune system, resulting in your immune system forgetting what to do when different things invade your body, hence the term amnesia.
—Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
In the four years Trump was out of office, an eerie amnesia about his erratic rule settled over the country, allowing people to project onto him hopes that were utterly untethered from reality.
—Michelle Goldberg, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2025
With the help of a youngster named Noah, Majima pumps the brakes on his gangster life to fix his amnesia, and ultimately embark on an adventure to become a legendary pirate and uncover a massive payload of treasure.
—Isaiah Colbert, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2025
Manzano did not have a prescription for Xanax or other depressants based on his medical records and the drug is often used to facilitate theft by inducing amnesia, the detective said.
—CBS News, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for amnesia
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Bruce Y. Lee, Forbes, 15 Mar. 2025
In the four years Trump was out of office, an eerie amnesia about his erratic rule settled over the country, allowing people to project onto him hopes that were utterly untethered from reality.
—Michelle Goldberg, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2025
With the help of a youngster named Noah, Majima pumps the brakes on his gangster life to fix his amnesia, and ultimately embark on an adventure to become a legendary pirate and uncover a massive payload of treasure.
—Isaiah Colbert, Rolling Stone, 18 Feb. 2025
Manzano did not have a prescription for Xanax or other depressants based on his medical records and the drug is often used to facilitate theft by inducing amnesia, the detective said.
—CBS News, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for amnesia
Cite this Entry
“Amnesia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amnesia. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
Medical Definition
amnesia
noun
am·ne·sia
am-ˈnē-zhə
1
: loss of memory sometimes including the memory of personal identity due to brain injury, shock, fatigue, repression, or illness or sometimes induced by anesthesia
a period of amnesia after the wreck
2
: a gap in one's memory
an amnesia concerning her high-school years
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share