remembrance

noun

re·​mem·​brance ri-ˈmem-brən(t)s 

 also  -bə-rən(t)s

1

: the state of bearing in mind

2

a

: the ability to remember : memory

b

: the period over which one's memory extends

3

: an act of recalling to mind

4

: a memory of a person, thing, or event

5

a

: something that serves to keep in or bring to mind : reminder

b

: commemoration, memorial

c

: a greeting or gift recalling or expressing friendship or affection

Synonyms

• memory
• recollection
• memorial

Choose the Right Synonym for remembrance

memory, remembrance, recollection, reminiscence mean the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered.

memory applies both to the power of remembering and to what is remembered.

gifted with a remarkable memory

that incident was now just a distant memory

remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered.

any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

recollection adds an implication of consciously bringing back to mind often with some effort.

after a moment's recollection he produced the name

reminiscence suggests the recalling of usually pleasant incidents, experiences, or feelings from a remote past.

my grandmother's reminiscences of her Iowa girlhood

Examples of remembrance in a Sentence

a happy couple with many fond remembrances of when they were dating in college

she gave her boyfriend on the eve of his military service one of her lockets as a remembrance of their abiding affection

Recent Examples on the Web

Pay Your Respects at The National 9/11 Memorial & Museum The National 9/11 Memorial and Museum complex were established in remembrance of the close to 3,000 people who perished in the events of September 11, 2001. —Michele Herrmann, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025

The New Jersey Office of the Public Defender posted a statement online in remembrance of Mazraani. —Stephen Sorace, FOXNews.com, 6 Aug. 2025

Ramirez was one of about 100 people who gathered at Burk Burnett Park Thursday evening to participate in the Good Trouble Lives On protest — a national tribute in remembrance of Congressman John Lewis, a civil rights leader who died on July 17, 2020. —Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 July 2025

Family members say their favorite colors were teal and purple, and ribbons in those colors have been used over the years in remembrance. —Jenny Porter Tilley, IndyStar, 5 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

remembrance

noun

re·​mem·​brance ri-ˈmem-brən(t)s 

1

: the act of remembering

2

: something remembered

3

a

: something (as a souvenir) that serves to keep in or bring to mind : reminder

b

: something (as a greeting or gift) recalling or expressing friendship