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Definition of oblivion
1 : the fact or condition of not remembering : a state marked by lack of awareness or consciousness seeking the oblivion of sleep drank herself into oblivion
2 : the condition or state of being forgotten or unknown contentedly accepted his political oblivion … took the Huskers from oblivion to glory — and their two national championships … — D. S. Looney
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oblivion was our Word of the Day on 06/21/2014. Hear the podcast!
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Examples of oblivion in a Sentence
The technology is destined for oblivion.
The names of the people who lived here long ago have faded into oblivion.
His theories have faded into scientific oblivion.
Her work was rescued from oblivion when it was rediscovered in the early 1900s.
After being awake for three days straight, he longed for the oblivion of sleep.
She drank herself into oblivion.
The little village was bulldozed into oblivion to make way for the airport.
Recent Examples of oblivion from the Web
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And some person (Bruce Rondon?) coming from oblivion to take over the bullpen.
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And now, the only solid memorial of his life is slowly sinking into oblivion.
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Kosinski and Cruise previously worked together on the 2013 sci-fi drama Oblivion.
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Instead Jackson, who at bare minimum was expected to steering this franchise clear of utter oblivion—did the opposite, running them further into the ground.
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Another golf course in Broward County is a step closer to oblivion.
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But Republican Karen Handel won, by 3.8 points, blowing these story lines into oblivion.
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Either way, by virtue of the newest Switch update out now, your oh-so-clever Nintendo games console can finally rescue your MIA Joy-Cons from household oblivion.
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Emily Michot emichot@miamiherald.com South Florida was once lush with wild orchids growing on oak and mahogany trees, but habitat loss and orchid poaching depleted the species into near oblivion.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'oblivion'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Did You Know?
Oblivion was derived via Middle English and Anglo-French from Latin oblivisci, which means "to forget." This form may have stemmed from combining ob- ("in the way") and levis ("smooth"). In the past, oblivion has been used in reference to the River Lethe, which according to Greek myth flowed through the Underworld and induced a state of forgetfulness in anyone who drank its water. Among those who have used the word this way is the poet John Milton, who wrote in Paradise Lost, "Farr off from these a slow and silent stream, Lethe the River of Oblivion roules Her watrie Labyrinth."
OBLIVION Defined for English Language Learners
oblivion
playDefinition of oblivion for English Language Learners
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: the state of something that is not remembered, used, or thought about any more
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: the state of being unconscious or unaware : the state of not knowing what is going on around you
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: the state of being destroyed
OBLIVION Defined for Kids
oblivion
playDefinition of oblivion for Students
1 : the state of forgetting or having forgotten or of being unaware or unconscious
2 : the state of being forgotten The tradition has drifted into oblivion.
Learn More about oblivion
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See words that rhyme with oblivion Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for oblivion Spanish Central: Translation of oblivion Nglish: Translation of oblivion for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of oblivion for Arabic speakers
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