memorable
Americanadjective
-
worth remembering; notable.
a memorable speech.
- Synonyms:
- celebrated, impressive, noteworthy
-
easily remembered.
adjective
Usage
What does memorable mean? Memorable means easy to remember or worth remembering, especially due to being remarkable in a positive way. Events, experiences, people, and things can be described as memorable. In all of these cases, the term is almost always used positively. The term unforgettable is a close synonym, but is perhaps even stronger. Example: It was one of the most memorable moments I’ve ever experienced—I’ll never forget it.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of memorable
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin memorābilis “worth mentioning,” from memorā(re) “to mention” + -bilis -ble
Explanation
The adjective memorable is good for describing something that you just can't forget, like the first time you ever saw your Uncle Marvin in his full clown costume. Something that's memorable is easily remembered because of how unusual it is — like the time you saw your grandmother's cat using the toilet — or because it is meaningful or special like the memorable day when you met your best friend or the memorable concert in which you got to dance onstage with the singer. The Latin word for worthy of being remembered, memorabilis , is the root of memorable.
Vocabulary lists containing memorable
Total Recall: Mem
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Workshop 4, Part 1
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"Journeys," Vocabulary from Lesson 29
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
He understands how to use his innate magnetism to charm his way through even the silliest scripts, occasionally creating a dissonance between the film and his performances that makes even the duds memorable.
From Salon ● Oct. 9, 2026
He didn't look back after this and played many memorable characters in several films through the 1990s.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
This is one of the more memorable scenes from the De Palma film, and it’s made exponentially worse when Carrie’s humiliation is recorded and posted.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
His chart run continued through the end of the decade, and he sang a memorable duet with Irene Cara, “Love Survives,” for the 1989 film “All Dogs Go To Heaven.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
The oil paintings my parents made on their first date because Pa wanted to wow Ma with an experience more memorable than just dinner.
From "What If It's Us" by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
