déjà vu
noun
dé·jà vu
ˌdā-ˌzhä-ˈvü 
-ˈvᵫ
-ˈvᵫ
1
a
: the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first time
b
: a feeling that one has seen or heard something before
Despite a blond, swept-back mane all his own, Fonda looks startlingly like his father, Henry … . He even moves like his father, only dispelling the eerie feeling of déjà vu when he opens his mouth.—
Peter Biskind
Peter Biskind2
: something overly or unpleasantly familiar
The team's poor start to the season was déjà vu for its long-suffering fans.
Examples of déjà vu in a Sentence
I entered the room and immediately felt a sense of déjà vu.
When the car broke down again, it was déjà vu.
The rise in housing costs is déjà vu all over again.
Recent Examples on the Web
For the Chargers’ supposed new era, the training camp injury felt like unwelcome deja vu.
—Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2024
In a painful deja vu, the new house burned in the Park Fire on July 25.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 11 Aug. 2024
Expand All Northern California was experiencing a devastating case of deja vu on Friday, as a massive wildfire raged near the area destroyed by 2018’s Camp Fire.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 26 July 2024
Against Las Vegas on Friday, there was palpable frustration from the Sun players every time Wilson hit another basket in the second half en route to her double-double of 26 points and 16 rebounds, invoking deja vu of her performances in Aces’ 2022 WNBA Finals win over Connecticut.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 24 June 2024
Despite being fairly common, there's not much research about deja vu.
—Maria Masters, Health, 22 June 2024
For people who sat out 2023 hoping for a better market this year, purchasing a home this spring will be more like deja vu instead, with expensive homes and high mortgage rates similar to last year.
—Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
Like deja vu, there was head coach Dan Hurley, with his sunglasses on, hat on backwards, addressing the crowd from the podium on Trumbull Street with the championship trophy on a table to his left.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 13 Apr. 2024
For Stinson, this prosecution is deja vu all over again.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 5 June 2024
Thuc Nhi Nguyen, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2024
In a painful deja vu, the new house burned in the Park Fire on July 25.
—Evan Bush, NBC News, 11 Aug. 2024
Expand All Northern California was experiencing a devastating case of deja vu on Friday, as a massive wildfire raged near the area destroyed by 2018’s Camp Fire.
—Hanh Truong, Sacramento Bee, 26 July 2024
Against Las Vegas on Friday, there was palpable frustration from the Sun players every time Wilson hit another basket in the second half en route to her double-double of 26 points and 16 rebounds, invoking deja vu of her performances in Aces’ 2022 WNBA Finals win over Connecticut.
—Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 24 June 2024
Despite being fairly common, there's not much research about deja vu.
—Maria Masters, Health, 22 June 2024
For people who sat out 2023 hoping for a better market this year, purchasing a home this spring will be more like deja vu instead, with expensive homes and high mortgage rates similar to last year.
—Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 8 May 2024
Like deja vu, there was head coach Dan Hurley, with his sunglasses on, hat on backwards, addressing the crowd from the podium on Trumbull Street with the championship trophy on a table to his left.
—Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 13 Apr. 2024
For Stinson, this prosecution is deja vu all over again.
—Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 5 June 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'déjà vu.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near déjà vu
Cite this Entry
“Déjà vu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/d%C3%A9j%C3%A0%20vu. Accessed 2 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
déjà vu
noun
dé·jà vu
ˌdā-ˌzhä-ˈvü
-ˈvᵫ̅
: a feeling that one has seen or heard something before
Etymology
French, literally, "already seen"
Medical Definition
déjà vu
noun
dé·jà vu
ˌdā-ˌzhä-ˈv(y)ü, dā-zhȧ-vᵫ̅
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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