recollection

noun rec·ol·lec·tion \ ˌre-kə-ˈlek-shən \

Updated on: 20 May 2018

Definition of recollection

1 a : tranquility of mind

b : religious contemplation

2 a : the action or power of recalling to mind

b : something recalled to the mind

See recollection defined for English-language learners

See recollection defined for kids

Examples of recollection in a Sentence

Her recollection of the accident is very different from mine.
She has only a vague recollection of her seventh birthday party.
His novel is largely based on his own recollections of his childhood in the inner city.

Recent Examples of recollection from the Web

But don't be surprised if in a year or two, another similarly viral moment pops up, drawing emotional recollections of the great Yanny-Laurel debate of 2018.

— madeline buxton, refinery29.com, "Yanny Or Laurel & The Dress: Why We'll Forever Experience The Same Debate On Social Media," 16 May 2018
While investigators are still confident that this is a good location to continue to dig, there is still the problem that this crime happened 4 decades ago and both topography and people's recollections change with time.

— christina hall, Detroit Free Press, "Dig for missing girls in Macomb Twp. halted: What now?," 15 May 2018
Like Bombeck, the Orlando performer finds humor in homespun recollections.

— matthew j. palm, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Review: Taurus Faeces - Fringe 2018," 14 May 2018
Grief so heavy Almost all American slave narratives were composed by people born in the country, and thus contain no first-hand recollections of capture and transportation.

— The Economist, "The story of one of the last slaves imported to America," 10 May 2018
Yet unlike his work in Eastern Europe, he hasn’t stopped at preserving recollections.

— sara miller llana, The Christian Science Monitor, "He’s building a record about those persecuted because of their religion," 5 May 2018
Browse its street level art gallery and engage with its podcast studio, Storybooth, inspired by the many Montgomery residents with vivid recollections of the Civil Rights era.

— New York Times, "36 Hours in Montgomery, Ala.," 3 May 2018
Philly would love to wipe away any recollection of missing 21 of 26 three-pointers.

— keith pompey, Philly.com, "Sixers growing restless for Game 2 against Celtics to correct course in NBA playoffs," 2 May 2018
The novel dives back, through Anna’s detailed recollection, to trace her bold youth teaching English in Rome, her molten affair with the about-to-be-married Sergio, and its secret, traumatic consequences.

— joan frank, San Francisco Chronicle, "‘Paris by the Book,’ by Liam Callanan; ‘Nothing Forgotten,’ by Jessica Levine," 30 Apr. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'recollection.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of recollection

1611

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

recollection Synonyms

Synonyms

memory, mind, remembrance, reminiscence;

Near Antonyms

amnesia, repression;

forgetfulness;

awareness, cognizance, consciousness;

apprehension, comprehension, grasp, grip, perception, understanding;

Synonym Discussion of recollection

memory, remembrance, recollection, reminiscence mean the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered. memory applies both to the power of remembering and to what is remembered.

- gifted with a remarkable memory
- that incident was now just a distant memory

remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered.

- any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

recollection adds an implication of consciously bringing back to mind often with some effort.

- after a moment's recollection he produced the name

reminiscence suggests the recalling of usually pleasant incidents, experiences, or feelings from a remote past.

- my grandmother's reminiscences of her Iowa girlhood

RECOLLECTION Defined for English Language Learners

recollection

noun

Definition of recollection for English Language Learners

: the act of remembering something or the ability to remember something
: something from the past that is remembered

RECOLLECTION Defined for Kids

recollection

noun rec·ol·lec·tion \ ˌre-kə-ˈlek-shən \

Definition of recollection for Students

1 : the act or power of remembering : memory

a good recollection

2 : something remembered

recollections of childhood

Learn More about recollection

See words that rhyme with recollection Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for recollection Spanish Central: Translation of recollection Nglish: Translation of recollection for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of recollection for Arabic speakers

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up recollection? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

recollection

Definition of recollection

Examples of recollection in a Sentence

Recent Examples of recollection from the Web

First Known Use of recollection

recollection Synonyms

Synonyms

Near Antonyms

Related Words

Synonym Discussion of recollection

Phrases Related to RECOLLECTION

Related Phrases

RECOLLECTION Defined for English Language Learners

recollection

Definition of recollection for English Language Learners

RECOLLECTION Defined for Kids

recollection

Definition of recollection for Students

Learn More about recollection

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

'Folksonomy': Let’s Get Organized

May 2018 Words of the Day Quiz

12 Words from All Over the Map

Trending: Melania Trump Undergoes 'Embolization'

Ghost Word