oblivion

noun

obliv·​i·​on ə-ˈbli-vē-ən How to pronounce oblivion (audio)
ō-,
ä-
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 and the River Lethe

Oblivion asks forgetfulness of us in both its meaning and etymology. The word’s Latin source, oblīvīscī, means “to forget; to put out of mind,” and since its 14th century adoption into English, oblivion has hewed close to meanings having to do with forgetting. The word has also long had an association with the River Lethe, which according to Greek myth flowed through the Underworld and caused anyone who drank its water to forget their past; 17th century poet John Milton wrote about “Lethe the River of Oblivion” in Paradise Lost. The adjective oblivious (“lacking remembrance, memory, or mindful attention”) followed oblivion a century later, but not into oblivion—both words have proved obdurate against the erosive currents of time.

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 on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Cardholders report that rewards are devalued, denied, disappeared, or fine-printed to oblivion, their actual redemption details dramatically different from their marketing materials. Ellen Cushing, The Atlantic, 24 July 2025 Crystal Cruises’ Crystal Symphony Crystal Cruises was bankrupt and facing oblivion when it was rescued by luxury tour operator Abercrombie & Kent, which bought the 602-passenger Crystal Symphony (and 740-passenger Crystal Serenity) and relaunched the brand. AFAR Media, 3 July 2025 There’s no underestimating the harm Netflix did to Squid Game by merchandising this dark satire of capitalism into consumerist oblivion, then delaying its conclusion with a second season that was mostly filler. Judy Berman, Time, 27 June 2025 Hunter Renfrow and his chances of making the team Like the whole topic of Young, Hunter Renfrow’s likelihood of making the team has been discussed into oblivion. Alex Zietlow july 23, Charlotte Observer, 23 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for oblivion

Word History

Etymology

Middle English oblivioun, borrowed from Anglo-French oblivion, obliviun, borrowed from Latin oblīviōn-, oblīviō "state of forgetting, dismissal from the memory," from oblīv-, stem of oblīvīscī "to forget, put out of mind" (from ob- "toward, facing" + -līvīscī, inchoative derivative of a stem līv- of uncertain meaning and origin) + -iōn-, -iō, suffix of action nouns formed from compound verbs — more at ob-

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

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

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Cite this Entry

“Oblivion.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oblivion. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

Kids Definition

oblivion

noun
obliv·​i·​on ə-ˈbliv-ē-ən How to pronounce oblivion (audio)
ō-,
ä-
1
: the state of forgetting or having forgotten or of being unaware or unconscious
2
: the state of being forgotten

More from Merriam-Webster on oblivion

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