1
as in ignorance
a state of being disregardful or unconscious of one's surroundings, concerns, or obligations
her general obliviousness often results in her walking into walls and other hard-to-miss objects
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unawareness
the state of being unaware or uninformed
obliviousness of a law is not an acceptable excuse for breaking it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of obliviousness
Feel-good party music is usually rooted in escapism, or simple obliviousness, while socially conscious art tends toward the bleak, especially these days.
—
Will Lynch, Pitchfork, 11 May 2026
His obliviousness is what’s also somewhat endearing but also what’s grounding.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
After a two-hour tale of comical deception, betrayal, emotional cruelty, insensitivity and obliviousness, the audience is expected to swallow a message of caring and community.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
In Aspen, Wiseman deployed this method to showcase the casual obliviousness of some of his subjects.
—Vikram Murthi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, a stylist has had to cancel his own honeymoon due to delays in the tour, indicating both slavish, life-altering devotion to the British pop star in her coterie, but also her obliviousness to such things going on.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
Arriving empty-handed, leaving messes behind, being hours late — behaviors like these reflect obliviousness or busyness at best, or selfishness or entitlement at worst.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025
Gentleman thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) circles the prize while Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) bungles the pursuit with sublime obliviousness.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
There is total and telling obliviousness to his giant flat-screen television, tuned to the SEC Network and a women’s soccer match between Arkansas and … Notre Dame.
—Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Will Lynch, Pitchfork, 11 May 2026
His obliviousness is what’s also somewhat endearing but also what’s grounding.
—Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 10 Apr. 2026
After a two-hour tale of comical deception, betrayal, emotional cruelty, insensitivity and obliviousness, the audience is expected to swallow a message of caring and community.
—Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 27 Feb. 2026
In Aspen, Wiseman deployed this method to showcase the casual obliviousness of some of his subjects.
—Vikram Murthi, The Atlantic, 22 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, a stylist has had to cancel his own honeymoon due to delays in the tour, indicating both slavish, life-altering devotion to the British pop star in her coterie, but also her obliviousness to such things going on.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 Jan. 2026
Arriving empty-handed, leaving messes behind, being hours late — behaviors like these reflect obliviousness or busyness at best, or selfishness or entitlement at worst.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 25 Dec. 2025
Gentleman thief Sir Charles Lytton (David Niven) circles the prize while Inspector Jacques Clouseau (Peter Sellers) bungles the pursuit with sublime obliviousness.
—Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
There is total and telling obliviousness to his giant flat-screen television, tuned to the SEC Network and a women’s soccer match between Arkansas and … Notre Dame.
—Brian Hamilton, New York Times, 27 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for obliviousness
Noun
-
From this follow both the political dimension and a certain form of ignorance as to the source of so much unhappiness—and not only on the family front.—
Nina Mesfin,
New Yorker,
7 June 2026
-
Imperfect measurement is not an argument for embracing ignorance.—
James Broughel,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Democratic leaders seem determined not to allow anything to get in the way of winning Maine’s Senate seat, even if that requires willful blindness toward Platner’s lengthening record of indiscretions.—
Shannon A. Mullen,
The Atlantic,
4 June 2026
-
In a world of constant disruption, expertise can become a form of blindness.—
Gamze Acar Bayraktaroglu,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Up to 60% of women experience it as confusion, difficulty concentrating, and forgetfulness that is estrogen-specific, not just aging.—
Torie Bosch,
STAT,
2 May 2026
-
Symptoms of menopause include hot flashes, sleep issues, joint and muscle discomfort, night sweats, forgetfulness, moodiness, and irritability.—
Laura Schober,
Health,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Converting that surplus draft capital into a meaningful haul of valuable talent is an essential first step if the club is to move through the competitive oblivion of this rebuilding process on any sort of expedited or reasonable timeline.—
Thomas Drance,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
-
Although Nilsson would likely disagree, her work affirms that all of us are drifting toward oblivion, with the best days of our lives like so much confetti in the wind.—
Jeremy Lybarger,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Obliviousness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/obliviousness. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
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