remembrance

noun

re·​mem·​brance ri-ˈmem-brən(t)s 

also -bə-rən(t)s

1

: the state of bearing in mind

2

a

: the ability to remember : memory

b

: the period over which one's memory extends

3

: an act of recalling to mind

4

: a memory of a person, thing, or event

5

a

: something that serves to keep in or bring to mind : reminder

b

: commemoration, memorial

c

: a greeting or gift recalling or expressing friendship or affection

Synonyms of remembrance

• memory
• recollection
• memorial

Choose the Right Synonym for remembrance

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 remembrance in a Sentence

a happy couple with many fond remembrances of when they were dating in college

she gave her boyfriend on the eve of his military service one of her lockets as a remembrance of their abiding affection

Recent Examples on the Web

In this novel of remembrance and personal discovery, a Korean woman adopted and raised by French parents returns to Seoul with a documentarian in order to excavate her buried past. —The New Yorker, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026

Around 1,500 cyclists rode 16 miles from Wilshire and Western in Los Angeles to Pershing Drive in Playa Del Ray in remembrance of Regan Cole Graham and her unborn child, Ophelia. —Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 28 Feb. 2026

In the aftermath of Dane's passing, his former costars have shared their remembrances and their fond memories of working with the late actor. —Mekishana Pierre, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Feb. 2026

In a city like this one, remembrance is not ceremonial. —Jack Hill, Baltimore Sun, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

remembrance

noun

re·​mem·​brance ri-ˈmem-brən(t)s 

1

: the act of remembering

2

: something remembered

3

a

: something (as a souvenir) that serves to keep in or bring to mind : reminder

b

: something (as a greeting or gift) recalling or expressing friendship