amnesia
noun
am·ne·sia
am-ˈnē-zhə 
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
Alan BrinkleyExamples of amnesia in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Amnesia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amnesia. Accessed 21 Apr. 2025.
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Medical Definition
amnesia
noun
am·ne·sia
am-ˈnē-zhə
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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