oblivious
adjective
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How to Use Oblivious in a Sentence: does it go with 'of' or 'to'?
Oblivious usually has to do with not being conscious or aware of someone or something. When used with this meaning, it can be followed by either to or of:
The cat had crept in silently, and we were oblivious to its presence in the room.
There was no chance that anyone could be oblivious of the dog, though; it greeted everyone in the room with frisky leaps.
Oblivious can also have to do with forgetfulness, and when it's used this way, it is often followed by of (but not to):
The child had brought in a snake she'd discovered in the garden, oblivious of the promise she'd made to leave all found creatures outside.
Whatever meaning of oblivious you choose to use, the noun that correlates with this adjective is obliviousness:
Our obliviousness to the cat's presence in the room was quickly corrected by the dog's discovery of the cat under the chair.
The noun oblivion is related to both, of course, but it is not the noun form of oblivious.
Examples of oblivious in a Sentence
P. J. O'Rourke, Rolling Stone, 14 Nov. 1996
Prentice looked up from his food, which he had been steadily shovelling in, completely oblivious of everyone.
—Antonya Nelson, New Yorker, 9 Nov. 1992
Oblivious of any previous decisions not to stand together … , the three stood in a tight group …
—Doris Lessing, The Good Terrorist, 1985
Father was oblivious to the man's speculative notice of his wife.
—E. L. Doctorow, Ragtime, 1974
She rested now, frankly and fairly, in the shelter of his arms, and both were oblivious to the gale that rushed past them in quicker and stronger blasts.
—Jack London, Burning Daylight, 1910
the out-of-state motorist claimed to be oblivious of the local speed limit, even though the signs must have been hard to miss
Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 18 Apr. 2025
When Woods’ teammate Tom Kim turned his back on a chip-in, tossing his club in celebration, oblivious to the fact that his ball had lipped out, Woods was convulsed with laughter.
—Don Riddell, CNN, 24 Mar. 2025
Victoria Ratliff, played by Parker Posey, is his seemingly oblivious wife with a lorazepam dependency, while their three adult children, Lochlan (Nivola), Piper (Hook) and Saxon (Patrick), grow suspicious of their father’s behavior.
—Liza Esquibias, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
On a recent flight from Seattle to Dallas, Rachel Wagner had the misfortune of sitting next to a passenger who seemed oblivious to the concept of common courtesy.
—Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oblivious
Cite this Entry
“Oblivious.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oblivious. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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oblivious
adjective
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