oblivion

American  

[uh-bliv-ee-uhn] / əˈblɪv i ən /

noun

1. the state of being completely forgotten or unknown.

   a former movie star now in oblivion.

2. the state of forgetting or of being oblivious.

   the oblivion of sleep.

3. the act or process of dying out; complete annihilation or extinction.

   If we don't preserve their habitat, the entire species will pass into oblivion.

4. Archaic. official disregard or overlooking of offenses; pardon; amnesty.

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oblivion British  

/ əˈblɪvɪən /

noun

1. the condition of being forgotten or disregarded

2. the state of being mentally withdrawn or blank

3. law an intentional overlooking, esp of political offences; amnesty; pardon

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Other Word Forms

• self-oblivion noun

Etymology

Origin of oblivion

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin oblīviōn-, stem of oblīviō “a forgetting,” equivalent to oblīv(īscī) “to forget” + -iō -ion; ob-

Explanation

Oblivion is the state of being forgotten. Your uncle dreamed of being a rock star, but after recording one hit song, he faded into oblivion. Oblivion can also mean "total forgetfulness" — like what patients with dementia or new parents feel. If you find yourself putting the crackers in the fridge and milk in the cupboards, or forgetting your own phone number, you might be experiencing oblivion. Enjoy it while it lasts.

Example Sentences

We also saved species that were headed for oblivion.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

“Cinema is more resistant to oblivion, and certainly longer-living than the short-lived attention span that the internet offers, while your urgency reaches places our films cannot,” Wenders said.

From Salon • Mar. 6, 2026

In a statement last week, she said: "We will not allow the blood of these dear ones to be consigned to oblivion or the truth to be lost in the dust."

From BBC • Feb. 9, 2026

Anthropic /Clawdbot almost single-handedly launching the software sector into oblivion in recent weeks,” he said.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 4, 2026

If things continue at the present pace, it is likely that whales, sharks, tuna and dolphins will follow the diprotodons, ground sloths and mammoths to oblivion.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari

Related Words

• darkness
• extinction
• limbo