Synonyms of amnesia
1
: loss of memory due usually to brain injury, shock, fatigue, repression, or illness
2
: a gap in one's memory
3
: the selective overlooking or ignoring of events or acts that are not favorable or useful to one's purpose or position
… Americans seemed to develop a willful forgetfulness about the nation's longest military conflict, an amnesia that lasted for nearly a decade.—Alan Brinkley

Examples of amnesia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Ketamine can cause a slew of other side effects, including delirium, amnesia, increased salivation, abnormal eye movements, high blood pressure and potentially fatal breathing problems. — Christopher P. Holstege, The Conversation, 15 Oct. 2026 Some of those complications include brain swelling, pneumonia, severe dehydration and immune amnesia. — Chris Hoffman, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026 Fugue states are a precursor to the breakdown of memory; Simon’s agent begins experiencing episodes of a condition called transient global amnesia. — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 26 Sep. 2026 Backstabbing, scheming, secret children showing up to cause trouble, brainwashing, amnesia, terrorist massacres at weddings, and shoulder pads… so, so many shoulder pads. — Maggie Fremont, Entertainment Weekly, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for amnesia

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin amnēsia, borrowed from Greek (Septuagint) amnēsía "forgetfulness," variant of amnēstía — more at amnesty entry 1

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of amnesia was in 1772

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Cite this Entry

“Amnesia.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/amnesia. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

Kids Definition

amnesia

noun
: severe loss of memory

Medical Definition

amnesia

noun
1
: loss of memory sometimes including the memory of personal identity due to brain injury, shock, fatigue, repression, or illness or sometimes induced by anesthesia
a period of amnesia after the wreck
2
: a gap in one's memory
an amnesia concerning her high-school years

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