amnesia

noun

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

Examples of amnesia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The crowd's acceptance of Trump's Detroit-on-the-rise spin was consistent with their collective amnesia or indifference to his logical inconsistencies throughout the evening. Philip Elliott / Detroit, TIME, 19 Oct. 2024 In a case like this, a dose of selective amnesia on your part might be beneficial. Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 17 Oct. 2024 The political appointee from the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) who Morris did get on camera, Miller fanboy Scott Lloyd, can barely feign amnesia during his non-responses. Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 11 Oct. 2024 Levitt fears that this amnesia has become an obstacle to warning voters what’s in store for them in a Trump administration. Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for amnesia 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'amnesia.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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

Dictionary Entries Near amnesia

Cite this Entry

“Amnesia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amnesia. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

amnesia

noun
am·​ne·​sia am-ˈnē-zhə How to pronounce amnesia (audio)
: severe loss of memory
amnesiac 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
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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