forgetful

adjective

for·​get·​ful fər-ˈget-fəl How to pronounce forgetful (audio)
fȯr-
1
: likely to forget
2
: characterized by negligent failure to remember : neglectful
3
: inducing oblivion
forgetful sleep
forgetfully adverb
forgetfulness noun

Examples of forgetful in a Sentence

He became forgetful in his old age. we become more forgetful as we get older
Recent Examples on the Web Then, last year, the woman began to feel forgetful and depressed. Sarah Kuta, Smithsonian Magazine, 29 Aug. 2023 Research has found that menopausal people often report feeling forgetful and having difficulty concentrating.28 Brain Fog Before My Period: Is It PMS or Something Else? 10. Amanda Gardner, Health, 31 Aug. 2023 The world's greatest student is a more reliable source of information than the average forgetful adult. Shane Snow, Forbes, 5 May 2023 Feinstein, 90 and the Senate’s oldest member, has repeatedly appeared confused and forgetful since returning to the Senate last month after an extended stretch away to recover from a bad bout with shingles. Cameron Joseph, Los Angeles Times, 28 July 2023 To give 'em pumpkin to talk about Why was the jack-o'-lantern so forgetful? Briannah Rivera, Seventeen, 6 July 2023 The movie focuses on Milton (Kingsley) who lives in a small town and is getting more forgetful and isolated with age. Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 June 2023 In terms of overall trends, the company's data found that riders were the most forgetful during the weekend, and April was the most forgetful month for Americans. Renee Yan, Chron, 30 Apr. 2023 Jacksonville, Florida, took the top spot for being the most forgetful city. Emmy Abbassi, CNN, 30 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'forgetful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of forgetful was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near forgetful

Cite this Entry

“Forgetful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/forgetful. Accessed 29 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

forgetful

adjective
for·​get·​ful fər-ˈget-fəl How to pronounce forgetful (audio)
fȯr-
: forgetting easily
forgetfully adverb
forgetfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on forgetful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!