recollection

noun

ˌre-kə-ˈlek-shən How to pronounce recollection (audio)
Definition of recollectionnext
1
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

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2
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

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 The astonishing nature of memory is that every recollection is a physical trace, imprinted into brain tissue by the molecular machinery of neurons. —Ajdina Halilovic, Quanta Magazine, 7 May 2025 In Altobelli’s recollection, Morgan was one of the first players to come up and hug him. —Dennis Lin, New York Times, 1 May 2025 The letters range from the prosaic to the profound: recollections of childhood softball games, news about David’s retirement, updates on their aging mother’s declining health. —Serge F. Kovaleski, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025 After this, consolidation eventually stabilizes memory traces and stores them for future recollection in the long term. —Jack Knudson, Discover Magazine, 28 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for recollection
Recent Examples of Synonyms for recollection
memory
Noun
  • Pictures, video and memories of the South Florida storm.
    — Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 28 May 2025
  • For the Burdine brothers, that journey has been shared from day one, doubling the memories, the milestones, and the meaning.
    — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 May 2025
Definition of memory

Browse Nearby Words

recollecting
recollection
recollections
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Cite this Entry

“Recollection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recollection. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

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