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
- memorability noun
- memorableness noun
- memorably adverb
- unmemorable adjective
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
Workshop 4, Part 1
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Total Recall: Mem
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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.
Most memorable was an escalator ride going down to the main floor of a Cambridge, Mass., hotel.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 18, 2026
Garret Anderson’s most memorable moment was belting a decisive three-run double in Game 7 of the only World Series ever played by the Angels.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026
And on their way to the last eight, they posted memorable league-stage wins against Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig while also holding Juventus to a goalless draw.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Films such as Teesri Manzil, Caravan, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Ijaazat and Saagar featured some of her most memorable work, while Umrao Jaan, composed by Khayyam, is widely regarded as a career high point.
From BBC • Apr. 12, 2026
King pushed his written speech aside, gripped the lectern with both hands, and gave his country seventeen of the most memorable minutes in its history.
From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly
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.
