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

Others like Medford, who worked at Granite Arch before spending 19 years as general manager at Pipeworks, had a different recollection of Honnold from his childhood climbing days. —Graham Womack, Sacbee.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Instead of relying on anecdotal recollection, leadership looks across interactions to understand shifting customer signals to inform product development. —Awaneesh Verma, Fortune, 16 Jan. 2026

Advertisement Transient unresponsiveness Sometimes people with neurological problems go blank for a few seconds, and then return to their normal selves with no recollection of what just happened. —Angela Haupt, Time, 15 Jan. 2026

In a preliminary hearing last year, an investigator testified that Mullen initially denied knowing Fischer but then changed his recollection in a follow-up interview. —Cameron MacDonald, Mercury News, 9 Jan. 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