oblivious
Americanadjective
-
unmindful; unconscious; unaware (usually followed by of orto ).
She was oblivious of his admiration.
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forgetful; without remembrance or memory.
oblivious of my former failure.
-
Archaic. inducing forgetfulness.
adjective
Usage
It was formerly considered incorrect to use oblivious to mean unaware , but this use is now acceptable
Related Words
See absent-minded.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of oblivious
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin oblīviōsus “forgetful,” equivalent to oblīvī(scī) “to forget” + -ōsus -ous ( def. )
Explanation
If you don't notice or aren't aware, it means that the adjective oblivious applies to you! When we think of the adjective oblivious, it is usually in situations that involve being totally unaware of what's staring us right in the face. It can also mean being forgetful and absent-minded. The cartoon character Mr. Magoo is a perfect example of someone who is oblivious; his eyesight is so bad that he always gets himself into various scrapes and mishaps. For example, Mr. Magoo mistakes an airplane for a theater and instead of watching a movie, he takes a seat on a departing airplane!
Vocabulary lists containing oblivious
List 4
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A Raisin in the Sun
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Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry
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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.
Sánchez Bezos’ choice to reference “Madame X” is both knowing and blithely oblivious.
From Salon • May 6, 2026
But for the Barclays team equities are looking increasingly disconnected from fundamentals, oblivious to the signals that the oil and bond markets are sending.
From MarketWatch • May 6, 2026
As with “Shadow of a Doubt,” Hitchcock’s favorite of his films, the heroine smells trouble when everyone else is oblivious.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 24, 2026
Despite acting oblivious in front of the other partygoers, Blair opened up to Sheen when everyone dispersed.
From BBC • Mar. 5, 2026
Richard laughed, oblivious, it seemed, to how his mother’s words hit the people beside him.
From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland
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.
