Synonyms of recollection

recollection

noun

ˌre-kə-ˈlek-shən 

1

as in memory

a particular act or instance of recalling or the thing remembered

I have no recollection of ever saying that

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

2

as in mind

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

the gradual recollection of that long-ago romance brought back both happy and painful feelings

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• repression
• amnesia
• forgetfulness

Synonym Chooser

How is the word recollection distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of recollection are memory, remembrance, and reminiscence. While all these words mean "the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered," 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 memory a more appropriate choice than recollection?

The meanings of memory and recollection largely overlap; however, 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

Where would remembrance be a reasonable alternative to recollection?

Although the words remembrance and recollection have much in common, remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered.

any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

When is it sensible to use reminiscence instead of recollection?

While in some cases nearly identical to recollection, 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 recollection

Nadella also spoke about his recollection of the period where Altman was removed and reinstated as CEO of OpenAI in late 2023. —Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 12 May 2026

Photographs of healthcare personnel in full personal protective equipment assisting cruise passengers are likely to spark recollections of the pandemic. —Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 11 May 2026

Those who have watched can provide emphatic anecdotes and recollections of arguments, fights, supreme trash talking and table antics that can lead to an unexpected level of intensity. —Terrance Moore, New York Times, 9 May 2026

Off the top of my head, and without looking it up, my recollection is that only the accelerated depreciation is taxed at 25%, and any depreciation that was claimed using a straight line method would be subject to the normal long-term capital gain rules and brackets, which could be 0%, 15%, or 20%. —Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 9 May 2026