RECOLLECTION Synonyms: 33 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

recollection

noun

ˌre-kə-ˈlek-shən

Definition of recollection next

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

Relevance

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 recollection According to Epstein’s recollection of their conversation, Crist was shocked at what the prosecutor said. —

Julie K. Brown, Miami Herald, 5 Feb. 2026 Nelson’s olfactory memory of the factory, and all the recollections of his time there, remain vivid. —

Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 5 Feb. 2026 The recollection was part of a typically obscure clue package for the reality TV star, who competed in the ongoing 14th season of The Masked Singer as the Calla Lily. —

Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 5 Feb. 2026 Attorneys representing a man accused of killing his mother over an eviction pressed his stepfather Tuesday about his troubled recollection of the shooting. —

Gabriella Ybarra, San Antonio Express-News, 3 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recollection

Recent Examples of Synonyms for recollection

memory

Noun

The movie would not ultimately get made, but her work on it colors her memories of early motherhood.

— Rebecca Traister, Vulture, 10 Feb. 2026
Lee wasn’t around, then, to see the Hornets nearly fully erase a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit, turning the reins over to assistant Lamar Skeeter to finish out one of the craziest nights in uptown in recent memory.

— Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 10 Feb. 2026

Definition of memory

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re-collecting

recollection

recollections

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“Recollection.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/recollection. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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Last Updated: 12 Feb 2026 - Updated example sentences

Synonyms of recollection

noun

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