1
as in memory
a particular act or instance of recalling or the thing remembered a happy couple with many fond remembrances of when they were dating in college

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2
as in reminder
something that serves to keep alive the memory of a person or event she gave her boyfriend on the eve of his military service one of her lockets as a remembrance of their abiding affection

Synonyms & Similar Words

3

Synonym Chooser

How is the word remembrance distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of remembrance are memory, recollection, and reminiscence. While all these words mean "the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered," remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered.

any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

In what contexts can memory take the place of remembrance?

While in some cases nearly identical to remembrance, 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

When is recollection a more appropriate choice than remembrance?

The meanings of recollection and remembrance largely overlap; however, recollection adds an implication of consciously bringing back to mind often with some effort.

after a moment's recollection he produced the name

Where would reminiscence be a reasonable alternative to remembrance?

The synonyms reminiscence and remembrance are sometimes interchangeable, but 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 remembrance The Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, a Polish institution in Oswiecim committed to the remembrance of Nazi victims, will be hosting dozens of world leaders on Jan. 27. Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2025 One other central, if not overriding, purpose of Holocaust remembrance, however, must be to think of the millions who were annihilated not as impersonal statistics but as individuals with names, faces, identities, dreams, and emotions. Menachem Z. Rosensaft, TIME, 27 Jan. 2025 But Hunter and a handful of volunteers work to keep it accessible to visitors for small gestures like these: moments of humor, connection and remembrance. Natalie Wallington, Kansas City Star, 25 Jan. 2025 Piotr Cywinski, a Polish historian and director of the Auschwitz-Birkenau Museum since 2006, said his state-run institution wanted to preserve its core mission of remembrance but saw value in supporting a project focused on the present and future, as well as the past. Andrew Higgins, New York Times, 15 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for remembrance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for remembrance
Noun
  • LaFleur has a beautician who comes in to care for residents in her memory care home.
    Theresa Tamkins, SELF, 21 Feb. 2025
  • Above them, burned forever in my memory, a sighing woman in white, legs bound, reclines on top of a pillar.
    Lisa Brown, New York Times, 21 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The study should also serve as a reminder to the public to be careful around wildlife like bats, Roess said.
    Jen Christensen, CNN, 25 Feb. 2025
  • Amid the Houston Rockets’ 48-point first quarter against the Minnesota Timberwolves over the weekend, the return of Jabari Smith Jr. — and more importantly, Ime Udoka’s utilization of the third-year big — was a reminder of his value.
    Kelly Iko, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • Olson, 96, shared her recollections on a recent episode of It Happened in Hollywood, The Hollywood Reporter‘s eyewitness film history podcast.
    Seth Abramovitch, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 Feb. 2025
  • Many in attendance were taken aback by the tone of proceedings, with mentions of overcoming obstacles and recollections of triumphing over adversity, when some of those present will not be in position to meet the challenges of the future.
    Adam Crafton, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025
Noun
  • The central portion of the memorial will contain a reflection pool where the club’s dance floor was located.
    Silas Morgan, Orlando Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2025
  • Not quite 24 hours later, Duarte Matarese found herself in front of the West York Borough Police Department visiting a memorial of flowers, candles and balloons set up by community members.
    Maya Eaglin, NBC News, 23 Feb. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Remembrance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/remembrance. Accessed 4 Mar. 2025.

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