obliviousness

noun

Definition of obliviousnessnext
1
as in ignorance
a state of being disregardful or unconscious of one's surroundings, concerns, or obligations her general obliviousness often results in her walking into walls and other hard-to-miss objects

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unawareness
the state of being unaware or uninformed obliviousness of a law is not an acceptable excuse for breaking it

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 obliviousness Also missing is any clear acknowledgment of Singer’s fear for the horrors in store for Antonapoulos, and the dramatic irony created by Antonapoulos’ own seeming obliviousness to how his life is being upended. — Billy J. Stratton, The Conversation, 21 Aug. 2026 Feel-good party music is usually rooted in escapism, or simple obliviousness, while socially conscious art tends toward the bleak, especially these days. — Will Lynch, Pitchfork, 11 May 2026 His obliviousness is what’s also somewhat endearing but also what’s grounding. — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026 After a two-hour tale of comical deception, betrayal, emotional cruelty, insensitivity and obliviousness, the audience is expected to swallow a message of caring and community. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026 In Aspen, Wiseman deployed this method to showcase the casual obliviousness of some of his subjects. — Vikram Murthi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026 Meanwhile, a stylist has had to cancel his own honeymoon due to delays in the tour, indicating both slavish, life-altering devotion to the British pop star in her coterie, but also her obliviousness to such things going on. — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026 Arriving empty-handed, leaving messes behind, being hours late — behaviors like these reflect obliviousness or busyness at best, or selfishness or entitlement at worst. — Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025 Gentleman thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) circles the prize while Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) bungles the pursuit with sublime obliviousness. — Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obliviousness
  1. ignorance
  2. blindness
  3. forgetfulness
  4. oblivion
Noun
  • Despite the structure of bets and trades, the point of the idea-futures business is to gamble on insight rather than ignorance.
    — Finn Brunton, Harpers Magazine, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Rauber says much of the opposition to cloud seeding comes from ignorance of the process.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of ignorance
Noun
  • Put differently, blindness, two-handedness, and the continuous line are restraints that freed Nauman from the habits of description.
    — Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Outbreaks continue to occur every year, causing deaths, blindness, and permanent injuries.
    — Maryna Holovnova, New Atlas, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of blindness
Noun
  • O'Hara said years later, children were still badgering her about her forgetfulness.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Goodman says very early Alzheimer’s disease can sometimes resemble ordinary forgetfulness.
    — Lauryn Higgins, Flow Space, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of forgetfulness
Noun
  • The result has captivated critics and audiences — and affirmed that the film deserved to see the light of day, after coming very close to disappearing into oblivion.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
  • And of his fascination in the idea that people might go on living after death, in oblivion.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of oblivion

Browse Nearby Words

oblivious
obliviousness
oblong
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Cite this Entry

“Obliviousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obliviousness. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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