recollection

noun

rec·​ol·​lec·​tion ˌre-kə-ˈlek-shən 

1

a

: tranquility of mind

b

: religious contemplation

2

a

: the action or power of recalling to mind

b

: something recalled to the mind

Synonyms

• anamnesis
• memory
• recall
• remembrance
• reminiscence

Choose the Right Synonym for recollection

memory, remembrance, recollection, reminiscence 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

remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered.

any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

recollection adds an implication of consciously bringing back to mind often with some effort.

after a moment's recollection he produced the name

reminiscence suggests the recalling of usually pleasant incidents, experiences, or feelings from a remote past.

my grandmother's reminiscences of her Iowa girlhood

Examples of recollection in a Sentence

Her recollection of the accident is very different from mine.

She has only a vague recollection of her seventh birthday party.

His novel is largely based on his own recollections of his childhood in the inner city.

Recent Examples on the Web

Even so, in the friend’s recollection, Vance was strategic about it. —Benjamin Wallace-Wells, The New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2024

However, according to Funk Flex, Shyne’s recollection of his involvement in the shooting is in stark contrast to the actual events that took place, as the DJ alleges that Shyne was the gunman in the incident, not Combs. —Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 28 Oct. 2024

Three decades on, recollections of the drunken antics and petty feuds that marked the Britpop scene may have faded, but the era’s style iconography—and of course the music—remains. —Naomi Rougeau, Robb Report, 26 Oct. 2024

While Jack is torn to bits, David survives but wakes up weeks later in a London hospital with little recollection of what happened. —Jennifer M. Wood, WIRED, 25 Oct. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing recollection

• have no recollection
• to the best of someone's recollection

Kids Definition

recollection

noun

rec·​ol·​lec·​tion ˌrek-ə-ˈlek-shən 

1

: the action or power of recalling to mind

2

: something recalled to the mind