oblivious
Americanadjective
-
unmindful; unconscious; unaware (usually followed by of orto ).
She was oblivious of his admiration.
-
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
- obliviously adverb
- obliviousness noun
- self-oblivious adjective
- semioblivious adjective
- semiobliviously adverb
- unoblivious adjective
- unobliviously adverb
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. )
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.
Nine, oblivious to the Recollection, said, “Then don’t go, fox. Just… stay here. Who’s to stop you? You’ve got to think for yourself. Be your own boss.”
From Literature
Except Paul isn’t magic; she waves her red flags high and proud, and the good folks at ABC, Hulu and Disney charged at them with the oblivious desperation of so many trapped, maddened bulls.
From Los Angeles Times
“Edda, do you want a tea sandwich?” my aunt asks, oblivious to the shift that has happened in the room, gesturing to the small buffet.
From Literature
To my chagrin, being young and self-involved, as well as working a grueling summer job, I remember that I was almost oblivious to the crisis.
Despite acting oblivious in front of the other partygoers, Blair opened up to Sheen when everyone dispersed.
From BBC
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.
