recollection

noun

rec·​ol·​lec·​tion ˌre-kə-ˈlek-shən 

1

a

: tranquility of mind

b

: religious contemplation

2

a

: the action or power of recalling to mind

b

: something recalled to the mind

Synonyms of recollection

• memory

Choose the Right Synonym for 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

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 on the Web

Through tears, Coroner Ainslie Kirkegaard thanked Jayde for her recollections. — ABC News, 22 Oct. 2026

But no other moments in the show cut as close to the bone as the recollections of Crystal’s longtime best friend, Rob Reiner. — Greg Evans, Deadline, 21 Oct. 2026

One of his earliest recollections of Michael is asking him for Starbursts — specifically the pink and red ones, his favorite flavors. — Clayton Davis, Variety, 19 Oct. 2026

The anecdote offered a glimpse into Pollak's recollections of Torn's off-camera behavior. — Stephanie Giang-Paunon, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1611, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing recollection

• have no recollection
• to the best of someone's recollection

Rhymes for recollection

• circumspection
• disaffection
• disconnection
• disinfection
• dorsiflexion
• imperfection
• indirection
• insurrection
• intellection
• interjection
• intersection
• introjection

Kids Definition

recollection

noun

rec·​ol·​lec·​tion ˌrek-ə-ˈlek-shən 

1

: the action or power of recalling to mind

2

: something recalled to the mind