MEMORY Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'memory' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of memory are recollection , remembrance , and reminiscence . While all these words mean "the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered," memory applies both to the power of remembering and to what is remembered. // gifted with a remarkable memory // that incident was now just a distant memory

Q: When is it sensible to use 'recollection' instead of 'memory'?

While the synonyms recollection and memory are close in meaning, recollection adds an implication of consciously bringing back to mind often with some effort. // after a moment's recollection he produced the name

Q: When is 'remembrance' a more appropriate choice than 'memory'?

The words remembrance and memory are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered. // any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

Q: When might 'reminiscence' be a better fit than 'memory'?

The words reminiscence and memory can be used in similar contexts, but reminiscence suggests the recalling of usually pleasant incidents, experiences, or feelings from a remote past. // my grandmother's reminiscences of her Iowa girlhood

memory

noun

ˈmem-rē

Definition of memory next

as in recollection

the power or process of recalling what has been previously learned or experienced a photographic memory makes taking tests entirely too easy

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in memorial

a particular act or instance of recalling or the thing remembered I have only the vaguest memory of the family vacation we took the year I turned three

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word memory distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of memory are recollection, remembrance, and reminiscence. While all these words mean "the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered," memory applies both to the power of remembering and to what is remembered.

gifted with a remarkable memory

that incident was now just a distant memory

When is it sensible to use recollection instead of memory?

While the synonyms recollection and memory are close in meaning, recollection adds an implication of consciously bringing back to mind often with some effort.

after a moment's recollection he produced the name

When is remembrance a more appropriate choice than memory?

The words remembrance and memory are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered.

any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

When might reminiscence be a better fit than memory?

The words reminiscence and memory can be used in similar contexts, but reminiscence suggests the recalling of usually pleasant incidents, experiences, or feelings from a remote past.

my grandmother's reminiscences of her Iowa girlhood

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of memory Many memories were made baking cookies with family and decorating for holidays. —

Contributed Content, Twin Cities, 7 Feb. 2025 Part of the highway that state Bagshaw once patrolled was named in his honor in 1996 — stopping traffic and stirring memories of his death more than five years ago at the time. —

Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 7 Feb. 2025 When Zara saw her mother lying in a hospital bed suffering from a severe concussion and memory loss, she was understandably shaken. —

Stephanie Nolasco, Fox News, 7 Feb. 2025 So, a bad bout in 2015 may remain strong in a person’s memory, but by 2025, their immune system has likely forgotten the incident and lacks natural protections. —

Discover Magazine, 7 Feb. 2025 See all Example Sentences for memory