Oblivion
/əˈblɪviən/
Definitions
2 meaningsThe state of being unaware of or not conscious of what is happening around you; the state of being forgotten.
/əˈblɪviən/
The state of being unaware or unconscious of something.
He drank until he fell into a state of oblivion.
💡 Simply: Imagine you're so engrossed in a video game that you forget all about dinner and homework. That's a little like oblivion – forgetting or being unaware of the world around you. Like, you are so focused on the game, you forget all your worries and everything else that is going on.
👶 For kids: It's like when you forget something completely! Like when you're so busy playing that you don't even know it's bedtime.
More Examples
The pain quickly faded into oblivion.
She sought oblivion in sleep.
How It's Used
"After the traumatic event, she experienced periods of oblivion."
"The drug induced a state of blissful oblivion."
The state of being forgotten, especially by the public; the state of extinction.
/əˈblɪviən/
The state of being forgotten, especially by the general public.
After the scandal, the singer's career faded into oblivion.
💡 Simply: Think about your favorite toy from when you were a little kid. Maybe you don't play with it anymore and it's tucked away in a box. It's almost forgotten, right? That's kind of what it means to fade into oblivion – to be forgotten by everyone, like old toys that are no longer used or remembered.
👶 For kids: It's like when you forget something really, really old. Like a dinosaur that nobody remembers anymore.
More Examples
The old traditions were slowly slipping into oblivion.
His name was consigned to oblivion.
How It's Used
"His fame eventually faded into oblivion after his death."
"Many historical figures are now lost to oblivion."
Idioms & expressions
fade into oblivion
To gradually disappear or be forgotten.
"The details of the case eventually faded into oblivion."
From Latin *oblivio* (forgetfulness, oblivion), from *oblivisci* (to forget). The word entered English in the late 14th century.
Used extensively in Romantic and Victorian literature to describe loss, death, and the passage of time.
Memory tip
Think of being so engrossed in something you're oblivious to everything else, like the bliss of a nap.