RECOLLECTION Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

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

Some common synonyms of recollection are memory , remembrance , and reminiscence . While all these words mean "the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered," 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 'memory' a more appropriate choice than 'recollection'?

The meanings of memory and recollection largely overlap; however, 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: Where would 'remembrance' be a reasonable alternative to 'recollection'?

Although the words remembrance and recollection have much in common, remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered. // any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

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

While in some cases nearly identical to recollection , reminiscence suggests the recalling of usually pleasant incidents, experiences, or feelings from a remote past. // my grandmother's reminiscences of her Iowa girlhood

recollection

noun

ˌre-kə-ˈlek-shən

Definition of recollection next

as in memory

a particular act or instance of recalling or the thing remembered I have no recollection of ever saying that

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in mind

the power or process of recalling what has been previously learned or experienced the gradual recollection of that long-ago romance brought back both happy and painful feelings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word recollection distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of recollection are memory, remembrance, and reminiscence. While all these words mean "the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered," 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 memory a more appropriate choice than recollection?

The meanings of memory and recollection largely overlap; however, 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

Where would remembrance be a reasonable alternative to recollection?

Although the words remembrance and recollection have much in common, remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered.

any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

When is it sensible to use reminiscence instead of recollection?

While in some cases nearly identical to recollection, reminiscence suggests the recalling of usually pleasant incidents, experiences, or feelings from a remote past.

my grandmother's reminiscences of her Iowa girlhood

Examples 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 recollection Much of the movie takes place in the present, but there are brief trips back to the early days via the recollections of Van Zandt, Tallent, Weinberg, and Bittan. —

Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 20 Oct. 2024 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 See all Example Sentences for recollection