Synonyms of recollection

recollection

noun

ˌre-kə-ˈlek-shən 

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

• memory
• memorial
• recall
• reminiscence
• remembrance
• anamnesis
• reminder
• token
• souvenir
• flashback
• memento
• association

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

• memory
• mind
• reminiscence
• perception
• remembrance
• reflection
• comprehension
• understanding
• thinking
• awareness
• consciousness
• meditation
• contemplation
• retrospection
• musing
• total recall
• cognizance
• grasp
• hypermnesia
• apprehension
• grip

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• repression
• amnesia
• forgetfulness

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

Recent Examples of recollection

The 20-minute, semi-animated project is screened in a mini theater there, and was created with the recollections and stories from elders in the community and materials going back more than 100 years. —Abby Hamblin, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 Jan. 2025

For fans of Case, who have traced her trajectory through punk bands to the New Pornographers, solo and with Neko Case & Her Boyfriends, lyrics that only hinted at grief or trauma will be seen in a clearer light through her memoir’s unflinching recollection. —Cat Woods, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2025

Doe acknowledged inconsistencies in her recollection of the events in an interview with NBC but stood by her allegation that she was raped. —Elizabeth Wagmeister, CNN, 14 Feb. 2025

Its popular posts, which routinely get thousands of likes, range from you-are-there recollections of legendary clubs like Studio 54 and The Saint to remembrances of first apartments, first loves and first losses in the AIDS epidemic. —Brian M. Sloan, NBC News, 9 Feb. 2025