amnesia

noun

am·​ne·​sia am-ˈnē-zhə How to pronounce amnesia (audio)
1
: loss of memory due usually to brain injury, shock, fatigue, repression, or illness
2
: a gap in one's memory
3
: the selective overlooking or ignoring of events or acts that are not favorable or useful to one's purpose or position
… Americans seemed to develop a willful forgetfulness about the nation's longest military conflict, an amnesia that lasted for nearly a decade.Alan Brinkley
amnesiac adjective or noun
or amnesic

Examples of amnesia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
This can result in spotty memories of events that occurred while drinking, or complete amnesia that might span hours. Eric Wood, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025 Measles can cause what’s known as immunity amnesia. Dylan Scott, Vox, 18 Mar. 2025 This phenomenon, known as immunological amnesia, means that a child who contracts measles at age three is more likely to be hospitalized with, say, a pneumococcal infection at age five, although parents and physicians may not draw the connection. Jessica Winter, The New Yorker, 8 Mar. 2025 If your husband refuses to go with you, go alone — or pray for amnesia. Jeanne Phillips, The Mercury News, 26 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for amnesia

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin amnēsia, borrowed from Greek (Septuagint) amnēsía "forgetfulness," variant of amnēstía — more at amnesty entry 1

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of amnesia was in 1772

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Cite this Entry

“Amnesia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amnesia. Accessed 31 Mar. 2025.

Kids Definition

amnesia

noun
am·​ne·​sia am-ˈnē-zhə How to pronounce amnesia (audio)
: severe loss of memory
amnesiac adjective or noun

Medical Definition

amnesia

noun
am·​ne·​sia am-ˈnē-zhə How to pronounce amnesia (audio)
1
: loss of memory sometimes including the memory of personal identity due to brain injury, shock, fatigue, repression, or illness or sometimes induced by anesthesia
a period of amnesia after the wreck
2
: a gap in one's memory
an amnesia concerning her high-school years

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