amnesia

noun

am·​ne·​sia am-ˈnē-zhə How to pronounce amnesia (audio)
Synonyms of amnesia
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
amnesiac
am-ˈnē-zhē-ˌak How to pronounce amnesia (audio)
-zē-
adjective or noun
or amnesic
am-ˈnē-zik How to pronounce amnesia (audio)
-sik

Examples of amnesia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Over the movie’s opening weekend in theaters, however, audiences showed no such amnesia. — Chris Lee, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026 Then again, too much history all at once can give you amnesia. — Mitch Therieau, New Yorker, 1 Aug. 2026 When his first love—a sharp prosecutor named Go Eun-sae (Ha Young)—suffers amnesia following a sudden accident, Tae-ha claims to be her boyfriend to protect her from the dangerous crime syndicate pursuing her. — Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026 According to Kevin Gaston and Masashi Soga—a pair of academics who have researched the phenomenon more than anyone else—environmental amnesia is a universal phenomenon. — Literary Hub, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for amnesia

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin amnēsia, borrowed from Greek (Septuagint) amnēsía "forgetfulness," variant of amnēstía — more at amnesty entry 1

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of amnesia was in 1772

Rhymes for amnesia

See All Rhymes for amnesia

Browse Nearby Words

amn't
amnesia
amnesty
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Amnesia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amnesia. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

amnesia

noun
am·​ne·​sia am-ˈnē-zhə How to pronounce amnesia (audio)
: severe loss of memory
amnesiac
-z(h)ē-ˌak How to pronounce amnesia (audio)
adjective or noun

Medical Definition

amnesia

noun
am·​ne·​sia am-ˈnē-zhə How to pronounce amnesia (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on amnesia

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for amnesia

Nglish: Translation of amnesia for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about amnesia

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