noun · verb · 7 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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əblĭvʹēən
/əˈblɪviːən/
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UK:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:AH0 B L IH1 V IY0 AH0 N
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
The state of forgetting completely, of being oblivious, unconscious, unaware, as when sleeping, drunk, or dead.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Examples
He regularly drank himself into oblivion.
Only the oblivion of sleep can heal the greatest traumas.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
The state of being completely forgotten, of being reduced to a state of non-existence, extinction, or nothingness, including through war and destruction. (Figuratively) for an area like hell, a wasteland.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
Examples
Due to modern technology, many more people and much more information will not slip into oblivion, contrary to what happened throughout history until now.
They tried to bomb them into oblivion.
I will cast them into oblivion!
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
3
noun
Meaning 3
A form of purgatory.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
4
noun
Meaning 4
Amnesty.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, uncountable, usually
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
5
verb
Meaning 5
To consign to oblivion; to efface utterly.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
6
noun
Meaning 6
total forgetfulness
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
he sought the great oblivion of sleep
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: obliviousness
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: forgetfulness
7
noun
Meaning 7
the state of being disregarded or forgotten
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: limbo
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: obscurity
History
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English oblivion, from Anglo-Norman oblivion, from Latin oblīviō (“forgetfulness”), from oblīvīscor (“to forget”).
Across languages
Translations
94 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Albanian:
harresë
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Arabic:
نِسْيَان
(nisyān)
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Bulgarian:
забраванство
(zabravanstvo)
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Catalan:
oblit
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Czech:
zapomnění
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Danish:
glemsel
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Dutch:
vergeetachtigheid
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Finnish:
hajamielisyys
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Finnish:
unohtelu
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
French:
oubli
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Galician:
esquecemento
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Georgian:
გულმავიწყობა
(gulmavic̣q̇oba)
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
German:
Vergessen
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Greek:
λησμονιά
(lismoniá)
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Greek:
λήθη
(líthi)
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Ancient Greek:
λήθη
(lḗthē)
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Hebrew:
שִׁכְחָה
(shikhkhá)
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Hungarian:
feledés
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Ido:
oblivieso
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Italian:
oblio
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Italian:
dimenticanza
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Italian:
smemorataggine
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Italian:
smemoratezza
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Italian:
scordamento
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Latin:
oblīviō
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Latvian:
aizmirstība
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Latvian:
aizmirsība
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Macedonian:
заборав
(zaborav)
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Middle English:
oblivion
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Norwegian Bokmål:
glemsel
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Norwegian Nynorsk:
gløymsle
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Polish:
nieświadomość
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Portuguese:
esquecimento
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Portuguese:
olvido
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Portuguese:
oblívio
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Russian:
забытье́
(zabytʹjé)
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Russian:
забытьё
(zabytʹjó)
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Slovak:
zabudnutie
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Slovak:
zabúdanie
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Spanish:
olvido
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Spanish:
desmemoria
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Spanish:
olvidanza
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Tachawit:
itta
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Turkish:
nisyan
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Turkish:
unutma
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Ukrainian:
забуття
(zabuttja)
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Welsh:
angof
— state of forgetfulness or distraction
Albanian:
harresë
— state of being completely forgotten
Bulgarian:
забвение
(zabvenie)
— state of being completely forgotten
Czech:
zapomnění
— state of being completely forgotten
Danish:
glemsel
— state of being completely forgotten
Dutch:
vergetelheid
— state of being completely forgotten
Finnish:
unhola
— state of being completely forgotten
Finnish:
unohdus
— state of being completely forgotten
Finnish:
unho
— state of being completely forgotten
French:
oubli
— state of being completely forgotten
Galician:
esquecemento
— state of being completely forgotten
German:
Vergessenheit
— state of being completely forgotten
Greek:
λήθη
(líthi)
— state of being completely forgotten
Italian:
oblio
— state of being completely forgotten
Italian:
dimenticanza
— state of being completely forgotten
Latin:
oblīviō
— state of being completely forgotten
Latvian:
aizmirstība
— state of being completely forgotten
Macedonian:
заборав
(zaborav)
— state of being completely forgotten
Māori:
korenga
— state of being completely forgotten
Middle English:
oblivion
— state of being completely forgotten
Norwegian Bokmål:
glemsel
— state of being completely forgotten
Norwegian Nynorsk:
gløymsle
— state of being completely forgotten
Polish:
zapomnienie
— state of being completely forgotten
Polish:
niepamięć
— state of being completely forgotten
Portuguese:
esquecimento
— state of being completely forgotten
Russian:
забве́ние
(zabvénije)
— state of being completely forgotten
Spanish:
olvido
— state of being completely forgotten
Spanish:
olvidanza
— state of being completely forgotten
Swedish:
glömska
— state of being completely forgotten
Swedish:
förgätenhet
— state of being completely forgotten
Turkish:
unutulma
— state of being completely forgotten
Welsh:
ebargofiant
— state of being completely forgotten
Welsh:
angof
— state of being completely forgotten
Welsh:
ebargofiant
— state of being completely forgotten
Esperanto:
nekonscio
— state of permanent unconsciousness after death
Finnish:
olemattomuus
— state of permanent unconsciousness after death
Welsh:
ebargofiant
— state of permanent unconsciousness after death
Danish:
intethed
— a state of nothingness
Esperanto:
abismo
— a state of nothingness
Finnish:
olemattomuus
— a state of nothingness
French:
néant
— a state of nothingness
Italian:
oblio
— a state of nothingness
Macedonian:
ништожност
(ništožnost)
— a state of nothingness
Māori:
korenga
— a state of nothingness
Spanish:
nada
— a state of nothingness
Welsh:
ebargofiant
— a state of nothingness
Finnish:
kadotus
— figuratively: wasteland; a supernatural realm of waste, like hell
French:
néant
— figuratively: wasteland; a supernatural realm of waste, like hell
