REMEMBRANCE Synonyms: 45 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'remembrance' distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of remembrance are memory , recollection , and reminiscence . While all these words mean "the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered," remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered. // any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

Q: In what contexts can 'memory' take the place of 'remembrance'?

While in some cases nearly identical to remembrance , 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

Q: When is 'recollection' a more appropriate choice than 'remembrance'?

The meanings of recollection and remembrance largely overlap; however, recollection adds an implication of consciously bringing back to mind often with some effort. // after a moment's recollection he produced the name

Q: Where would 'reminiscence' be a reasonable alternative to 'remembrance'?

The synonyms reminiscence and remembrance are sometimes interchangeable, but reminiscence suggests the recalling of usually pleasant incidents, experiences, or feelings from a remote past. // my grandmother's reminiscences of her Iowa girlhood

remembrance

noun

ri-ˈmem-brən(t)s

Definition of remembrance

as in memory

a particular act or instance of recalling or the thing remembered a happy couple with many fond remembrances of when they were dating in college

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in reminder

something that serves to keep alive the memory of a person or event she gave her boyfriend on the eve of his military service one of her lockets as a remembrance of their abiding affection

Synonyms & Similar Words

as in recollection

the power or process of recalling what has been previously learned or experienced remembrance will wane with age

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word remembrance distinct from other similar nouns?

Some common synonyms of remembrance are memory, recollection, and reminiscence. While all these words mean "the capacity for or the act of remembering, or the thing remembered," remembrance applies to the act of remembering or the fact of being remembered.

any remembrance of his deceased wife was painful

In what contexts can memory take the place of remembrance?

While in some cases nearly identical to remembrance, 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 recollection a more appropriate choice than remembrance?

The meanings of recollection and remembrance largely overlap; however, recollection adds an implication of consciously bringing back to mind often with some effort.

after a moment's recollection he produced the name

Where would reminiscence be a reasonable alternative to remembrance?

The synonyms reminiscence and remembrance are sometimes interchangeable, 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

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 remembrance Representatives for industry trade groups NetChoice and TechNet did not respond to emails requesting comment about the remembrance day or the call for changes to the federal law. — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2026 As the parade stopped to lay a wreath at the Granary Burying Ground where founding fathers John Hancock and Samuel Adams are buried, a man placed a small stone on the memorial, a Jewish tradition of remembrance. — Catherine Simpson Bueker, The Conversation, 1 July 2026 Another photo was overlaid with a Black Lives Matter filter in remembrance of Atatiana Jefferson, the Black woman who was fatally shot by a Fort Worth police officer in 2019. — Kamal Morgan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 23 June 2026 The following day, Black New Yorkers continued the celebration with public processions and gatherings, part of a tradition that became known as the Fifth of July — a recognition that emancipation deserved remembrance alongside Independence Day. — Tunisia Morrison, New York Daily News, 5 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for remembrance

Recent Examples of Synonyms for remembrance

Noun

Prosecutor Brittany Dunlop challenged Zarrius' version of events, telling the jury during closing arguments that his apparent memory loss was not credible.

— Nicole Acosta, PEOPLE, 30 June 2026
Those emotions and memories now dry up in this, the final adventure, of dessication.

— Padgett Powell, Harpers Magazine, 30 June 2026

Definition of memory

Noun

Maria Avila offered tearful recollections of the traumatic incident and her less-than-full recovery on the stand last week, speaking in Spanish with an interpreter.

— Chris Willman, Variety, 1 July 2026
The Shining Stars documentary was released in 2001 using a similar narrative approach that combined band member recollections with commentary from contemporary hit artists.

— Prof. Mike Alleyne Ph.D, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026

Definition of recollection

Browse Nearby Words

remembers

remembrance

remembrances

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Remembrance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/remembrance. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of remembrance

noun

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on remembrance

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

perfunctory

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Popular in Wordplay

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

Games & Quizzes