as in preoccupied
inclined to forget what one has learned or to do what one should
we become more forgetful as we get older
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of forgetful
Here are six plants that experts say can handle the demands of even the most forgetful plant owner.
—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Apr. 2026
Marty is self-absorbed, forgetful, doesn’t much like people and spends hours online looking for advice about how to be a handyman.
—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
This woman—my cat-loving, sometimes forgetful, always generous Mimi—wasn’t just full of desire but also of the confidence to claim it.
—
Literary Hub,
10 Mar. 2026
In Plato’s Phaedrus, Socrates worries that books, unlike oral traditions, will make people more forgetful.
—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forgetful
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Apr. 2026
Marty is self-absorbed, forgetful, doesn’t much like people and spends hours online looking for advice about how to be a handyman.
—
Mary Ann Grossmann,
Twin Cities,
28 Mar. 2026
This woman—my cat-loving, sometimes forgetful, always generous Mimi—wasn’t just full of desire but also of the confidence to claim it.
—
Literary Hub,
10 Mar. 2026
In Plato’s Phaedrus, Socrates worries that books, unlike oral traditions, will make people more forgetful.
—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
3 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for forgetful
Recent Examples of Synonyms for forgetful
Adjective
-
Yet in an era increasingly defined by digital abstraction and impermanence, fashion designers are newly preoccupied with the tangible and historic.
-
Unfortunately, the actor was a little preoccupied with another franchise.
Adjective
-
Keke Palmer was confused about why she wasn't asked to emcee the event.
-
The competing corridors have left them confused, forcing them to navigate not only the treacherous waters – facing threats from sea mines, aerial drones, and Revolutionary Guard patrol boats – but also the complex political currents across the strait.
Adjective
-
But for another two and a half years, it’s stuck with a boss who often seems oblivious to customer concerns.
-
The Street loves the latter model, the public loves the former, and is oblivious to the dichotomy.
Adjective
-
Fido was fine, if a little bewildered, and in February 1973, the board lifted its book bans.
-
At the risk of sounding less like a columnist and more like a bewildered bystander … what the heck happened?
Cite this Entry
“Forgetful.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/forgetful. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
