Synonyms of memory

memory

noun

ˈmem-rē 

1

as in recollection

the power or process of recalling what has been previously learned or experienced

a photographic memory makes taking tests entirely too easy

Synonyms & Similar Words

• recollection
• mind
• reminiscence
• remembrance
• perception
• comprehension
• reflection
• understanding
• consciousness
• thinking
• awareness
• meditation
• contemplation
• retrospection
• total recall
• cognizance
• hypermnesia
• musing
• grasp
• apprehension
• grip

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• repression
• amnesia
• forgetfulness

2

as in memorial

a particular act or instance of recalling or the thing remembered

I have only the vaguest memory of the family vacation we took the year I turned three

Synonyms & Similar Words

• recollection
• memorial
• reminiscence
• recall
• remembrance
• anamnesis
• token
• reminder
• souvenir
• memento
• flashback
• association

Synonym Chooser

How is the word memory distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of memory are recollection, remembrance, and reminiscence. While all these words 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

When is it sensible to use recollection instead of memory?

While the synonyms recollection and memory are close in meaning, recollection adds an implication of consciously bringing back to mind often with some effort.

after a moment's recollection he produced the name

When is remembrance a more appropriate choice than memory?

The words remembrance and memory are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered.

any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

When might reminiscence be a better fit than memory?

The words reminiscence and memory can be used in similar contexts, but reminiscence suggests the recalling of usually pleasant incidents, experiences, or feelings from a remote past.

my grandmother's reminiscences of her Iowa girlhood

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of memory

Six years after 25-year-old Ahmaud Arbery was shot and killed while jogging in a Brunswick, Georgia, neighborhood, supporters gathered on the Atlanta BeltLine to honor his life with a run in his memory. —Leondra Head, CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026

The exhibition brings together Los Angeles artists exploring ideas of memory, community and collective experience — often in quieter ways than Martinez’s overt messaging. —Jane Horowitz, Los Angeles Times, 24 Feb. 2026

Friday’s event is expected honor the memory of the venue with live 1950s and 1960s jazz tunes performed by Daniel Washington and the Idyllic Funk Band, who performed a selection of songs to honor the nightclub’s memory at last year’s performance. —Miami Herald, 24 Feb. 2026

Betul opens up to Jason about her difficult upbringing and how not understanding what people are saying triggers memories of her family’s dismissal of her intelligence. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 24 Feb. 2026