remembrance

noun

re·​mem·​brance ri-ˈmem-brən(t)s 

 also  -bə-rən(t)s

1

: the state of bearing in mind

2

a

: the ability to remember : memory

b

: the period over which one's memory extends

3

: an act of recalling to mind

4

: a memory of a person, thing, or event

5

a

: something that serves to keep in or bring to mind : reminder

b

: commemoration, memorial

c

: a greeting or gift recalling or expressing friendship or affection

Synonyms

• anamnesis
• memory
• recall
• recollection
• reminiscence

Choose the Right Synonym for remembrance

memory, remembrance, recollection, reminiscence mean the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered.

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

remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered.

any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

recollection adds an implication of consciously bringing back to mind often with some effort.

after a moment's recollection he produced the name

reminiscence suggests the recalling of usually pleasant incidents, experiences, or feelings from a remote past.

my grandmother's reminiscences of her Iowa girlhood

Examples of remembrance in a Sentence

a happy couple with many fond remembrances of when they were dating in college

she gave her boyfriend on the eve of his military service one of her lockets as a remembrance of their abiding affection

Recent Examples on the Web

Carter’s funeral, and many of the remembrances that have poured forth during this week of national mourning, offered a far more positive narrative—and Biden must surely have taken heart from it. —Susan B. Glasser, The New Yorker, 9 Jan. 2025

The service follows almost a week of remembrance honoring Carter, who died on Dec. 29 at the age of 100. —Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 9 Jan. 2025

Photo: Courtesy of Archewell Beyond her grief and loving note of remembrance, the Duchess has another message. —Riann Phillip, Vogue, 8 Jan. 2025

The gestures of remembrance have all been carefully selected to reflect the 39th president’s rural roots in the small town of Plains, Ga., his political career in Georgia and Washington, and his legacy of global advocacy in Atlanta. —Emily Cochrane, New York Times, 4 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

remembrance

noun

re·​mem·​brance ri-ˈmem-brən(t)s 

1

: the act of remembering

2

: something remembered

3

a

: something (as a souvenir) that serves to keep in or bring to mind : reminder

b

: something (as a greeting or gift) recalling or expressing friendship