amnesia

noun

am·​ne·​sia am-ˈnē-zhə 

1

: loss of memory due usually to brain injury, shock, fatigue, repression, or illness

2

: a gap in one's memory

3

: the selective overlooking or ignoring of events or acts that are not favorable or useful to one's purpose or position

… Americans seemed to develop a willful forgetfulness about the nation's longest military conflict, an amnesia that lasted for nearly a decade.

—Alan Brinkley

amnesiac

am-ˈnē-zhē-ˌak 

-zē-

adjective or noun

or amnesic

am-ˈnē-zik 

-sik

Examples of amnesia in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Her amnesia is a manifestation of that (as a literary device; in real life, your family's trauma doesn't affect your brain damage…probably). —Elizabeth Logan, Glamour, 25 June 2025

Show Differences: From The Lemon Hunt To Some New Island Guests Those who have read Lockhart’s book have an idea of how the story ends and what indeed did occur to leave Cadence questioning her memories, which slowly filter back to her through selective amnesia and migraines. —Dessi Gomez, Deadline, 19 June 2025

This amnesia of our babyhood is pretty much the rule. —Ari Daniel, NPR, 20 Mar. 2025

Increased hair shedding Lip or preorbital swelling Nasal or sinus discomfort Numbness or itching of the face, lips, fingers, or toes Palpitations Tinnitus Transient amnesia Tremors Temporary pain, itching, or redness with microneedling Vision changes Who Should Avoid Using TXA for Skin Conditions? —Heather Jones, Verywell Health, 19 June 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin amnēsia, borrowed from Greek (Septuagint) amnēsía "forgetfulness," variant of amnēstía — more at amnesty entry 1

First Known Use

1772, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for amnesia

• atresia
• babesia
• anaesthesia
• analgesia
• anesthesia
• dyskinesia
• paresthesia
• hyperalgesia
• hyperesthesia

Kids Definition

amnesia

noun

am·​ne·​sia am-ˈnē-zhə 

: severe loss of memory

amnesiac

-z(h)ē-ˌak 

adjective or noun

Medical Definition

amnesia

noun

am·​ne·​sia am-ˈnē-zhə 

1

: loss of memory sometimes including the memory of personal identity due to brain injury, shock, fatigue, repression, or illness or sometimes induced by anesthesia

a period of amnesia after the wreck

2

: a gap in one's memory

an amnesia concerning her high-school years