déjà vu
noun
dé·jà vu
ˌdā-ˌzhä-ˈvü 
-ˈvᵫ
-ˈvᵫ
1
a
: the illusion of remembering scenes and events when experienced for the first time
b
: a feeling that one has seen or heard something before
Despite a blond, swept-back mane all his own, Fonda looks startlingly like his father, Henry. … He even moves like his father, only dispelling the eerie feeling of déjà vu when he opens his mouth.—
Peter Biskind
Peter Biskind2
: something overly or unpleasantly familiar
The team's poor start to the season was déjà vu for its long-suffering fans.
Examples of déjà vu in a Sentence
I entered the room and immediately felt a sense of déjà vu.
When the car broke down again, it was déjà vu.
The rise in housing costs is déjà vu all over again.
Recent Examples on the Web
The win over South Carolina was a deja vu title moment, albeit on a much bigger stage, as the sisters also won the CHSAA Class 5A crown with Grandview in 2022 when Lauren was a senior and Sienna was a freshman.
—Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 9 Apr. 2026
There is a distinct sense of deja vu.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Chen says the spending on holiday promotions gave him a sense of deja vu.
—John Ruwitch, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026
After Holmgren baited Hauser into a foul — deja vu from the final seconds of C’s-Thunder Round 1 — Baylor Scheierman replaced him and buried two quick triples, the second putting the Celtics up 74-73.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
The win represented a deja vu moment for Israel, which had also beaten Nicaragua, with Kremer on the mound, in the 2023 tournament.
—Jacob Gurvis, Sun Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2026
The ongoing airport security bottlenecks are evoking a sense of deja vu for many Americans.
—Jackson Shedelbower, Oc Register, 11 Mar. 2026
The maps gave residents a feeling of deja vu.
—Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026
For the secretive billionaire Besnier family, the recent recall of potentially dangerous infant formula made by its nearly century-old firm brings an uncomfortable feeling of deja vu.
—Tara Patel, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
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Kyle Newman, Denver Post, 9 Apr. 2026
There is a distinct sense of deja vu.
—Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 9 Apr. 2026
Chen says the spending on holiday promotions gave him a sense of deja vu.
—John Ruwitch, NPR, 30 Mar. 2026
After Holmgren baited Hauser into a foul — deja vu from the final seconds of C’s-Thunder Round 1 — Baylor Scheierman replaced him and buried two quick triples, the second putting the Celtics up 74-73.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 26 Mar. 2026
The win represented a deja vu moment for Israel, which had also beaten Nicaragua, with Kremer on the mound, in the 2023 tournament.
—Jacob Gurvis, Sun Sentinel, 17 Mar. 2026
The ongoing airport security bottlenecks are evoking a sense of deja vu for many Americans.
—Jackson Shedelbower, Oc Register, 11 Mar. 2026
The maps gave residents a feeling of deja vu.
—Charlotte Observer, 6 Feb. 2026
For the secretive billionaire Besnier family, the recent recall of potentially dangerous infant formula made by its nearly century-old firm brings an uncomfortable feeling of deja vu.
—Tara Patel, Fortune, 5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Déjà vu.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/d%C3%A9j%C3%A0%20vu. Accessed 18 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
déjà vu
noun
dé·jà vu
ˌdā-ˌzhä-ˈvü
-ˈvᵫ̅
: a feeling that one has seen or heard something before
Etymology
French, literally, "already seen"
Medical Definition
déjà vu
noun
dé·jà vu
ˌdā-ˌzhä-ˈv(y)ü, dā-zhȧ-vᵫ̅
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
