oblivious
- unmindful; unconscious; unaware (usually followed by of or to): She was oblivious of his admiration.
- forgetful; without remembrance or memory: oblivious of my former failure.
- Archaic. inducing forgetfulness.
Origin of oblivious
Synonym study
Related Words for obliviousness
incapacity, darkness, unconsciousness, rawness, fog, unawareness, simplicity, innocence, vagueness, blindness, unfamiliarity, bewilderment, illiteracy, nescience, oblivion, dumbness, disregard, crudeness, sciolism, incomprehensionExamples from the Web for obliviousness
Contemporary Examples of obliviousness
Nolte's Breitbart report on Dunham's "Barry" reeks of obliviousness.
Historical Examples of obliviousness
Some one may say, Why then touch her in this obliviousness of her unfilled possibilities?
The American Country GirlMartha Foote Crow
She felt blank, and excluded, as though they had thrust her out into the obliviousness of the night.
NarcissusEvelyn Scott
He followed them down the walk in a sweating agony of obliviousness, and climbed into the car with carefully normal lack of haste.
CitadelAlgirdas Jonas Budrys
She was calm-eyed and well-poised, and Lena hated her for the rest of her life for her obliviousness of the sordid.
Jewel WeedAlice Ames Winter
When we remember what women are, the latter instance of obliviousness appears the more probable.
Much Darker DaysAndrew Lang (AKA A. Huge Longway)
oblivious
- (foll by to or of) unaware or forgetful
usage
Word Origin and History for obliviousness
oblivious
mid-15c., from Latin obliviosus "forgetful, that easily forgets; producing forgetfulness," from oblivion (see oblivion). Meaning "unaware, unconscious (of something)" is from 1862, formerly regarded as erroneous, this is now the general meaning and the word has lost its original sense of "no longer aware or mindful." Properly should be used with to, not of. Related: Obliviously; obliviousness.