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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 For one mother, a wedding dress intended to be worn by her late daughter has become a symbol of grief, remembrance, and now, a source of tension with her surviving child. Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 14 June 2025 The city of Orlando is planning a $12 million remembrance with a reflection pool, visitor pavilion, tribute wall and healing garden at the site of the former LGBTQ club. Skyler Swisher, The Orlando Sentinel, 12 June 2025 After the tragedy, the gardens invited the university community to create remembrance stones as a way to grieve and process what had happened. Liz Rothaus Bertrand, Charlotte Observer, 28 May 2025 The team also facilitated a guest’s purchase of nearly 4,500 pounds of rice to donate to a monastery in Bhutan, as well as a celebration-of-life remembrance ceremony in the Serengeti for another’s deceased loved one, led by Masai elders. Alexandra Kirkman, Fortune, 18 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for remembrance
Recent Examples of Synonyms for remembrance
Noun
  • This, in turn, can significantly impact a child’s mood, memory or attention.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 21 June 2025
  • Whether stowed in a recipe tin, pasted in a book, or safely tucked away in a memory, family recipes are part of what makes cooking so special.
    Mary Shannon Wells, Southern Living, 21 June 2025
Noun
  • Lake County’s tree will serve as a reminder of the nation’s Founding Fathers and inspiration to future generations.
    Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 26 June 2025
  • The city sent four email reminders and four invoices to the team.
    Susannah Bryan, Sun Sentinel, 24 June 2025
Noun
  • Trainwreck: Poop Cruise interviews several passengers and crew members who were on the Triumph that week, and their recollections are truly harrowing.
    Randall Colburn, EW.com, 25 June 2025
  • There’s a lot of essays about Oswalt’s youth and teen years in Virginia, and his recollections of working as a not terribly motivated young man in a movie theater are quite entertaining.
    Brian Boone, Vulture, 18 June 2025
Noun
  • Johnson’s brother declined to talk when approached outside the E. 174th St. building near West Farms Road where mourners erected a makeshift memorial in Johnson’s honor.
    Rebecca White, New York Daily News, 23 June 2025
  • Platt played up the comedy of the quintessential Jewish outsider in a land of Confederate memorials and drawling manners.
    Charles McNulty, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

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

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