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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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

Example 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 What’s your recollection of the making of that track? —

Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 17 Oct. 2025 One of the best parts to it are the recollections from his Little Italy friends and relatives, many of whom served as inspiration for his sometimes unsavory characters. —

Randy Myers, Mercury News, 16 Oct. 2025 Kincaid frames a complex remembrance with recollections of her family’s early life in Antigua. —

Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 16 Oct. 2025 That wasn't his only recollection of the Trumps. —

Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 15 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for recollection

Recent Examples of Synonyms for recollection

memory

Noun

Nothing vague or erased by memory here.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Oct. 2025
Sweaters are not often associated with glamorous event arrivals, at least not in recent memory.

— Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2025

Definition of memory

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recollecting

recollection

recollections

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“Recollection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recollection. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.

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Last Updated: 27 Oct 2025 - Updated example sentences

Synonyms of recollection

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Synonyms of recollection

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