forgetfulness

forgetfulness — noun

1. a person's habit or tendency to often fail to remember things, such as names, da

1.nounB1
Definition

a person's habit or tendency to often fail to remember things, such as names, dates, appointments, or where they put everyday objects

Example

Esme's forgetfulness meant she often left her keys at the office.

uncountable with possessive: [person]'s forgetfulness

A brief moment of forgetfulness caused Asher to miss his dentist appointment.

phrase: a moment of forgetfulness

Common collocations
  • a moment of forgetfulness
  • due to forgetfulness
  • suffer from forgetfulness
  • age-related forgetfulness
  • sheer forgetfulness
  • a bout of forgetfulness
Synonyms
  • absent-mindedness

    stronger focus on distraction or lack of attention in the moment, rather than a general poor memory

  • poor memory

    more direct and general; can refer to difficulty recalling facts or events, not just everyday lapses

  • obliviousness

    more about failing to notice or be aware of something, often involving a lack of attention rather than memory failure

Antonyms
  • good memory

    the ability to remember things accurately and reliably

  • attentiveness

    careful attention to details, opposite of the distracted state linked to forgetfulness

Grammar Patterns

forgetfulness + about [something]

possessive + forgetfulness

a moment of + forgetfulness

Usage Note

Uncountable noun — not used in the plural form. Often appears after phrases such as 'a moment of', 'a bout of', or 'due to.' Can be modified by adjectives like 'age-related,' 'sheer,' or 'senior' to specify the cause or degree.

Common Mistakes

I have a forgetfulness of her name.
I keep forgetting her name.
'forgetfulness' describes a general quality or tendency, not a single instance of failing to remember something.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Forgetfulness, absent-mindedness, and poor memory all describe difficulty with remembering, but they differ in focus. Forgetfulness emphasises a habitual tendency to overlook everyday details like keys, names, or appointments. Absent-mindedness leans more toward distraction or lack of focus in the moment — someone who is daydreaming or preoccupied may be absent-minded without having a generally poor memory. Poor memory is the broadest term, covering both short-term lapses and long-term recall difficulties. For example: 'His forgetfulness meant he missed three meetings this month.' vs. 'Her absent-mindedness came from worrying about the exam.' vs. 'The patient's poor memory made it hard to remember family members' names.'

forgetfulness ↗absent-mindednesspoor memory

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • a moment of forgetfulness
  • due to forgetfulness
  • suffer from forgetfulness

Prepositions

Etymology

Proto-GermanicOld EnglishMiddle EnglishEnglish

Comes from the verb 'forget' (Old English 'forgietan' — to lose memory of) combined with the noun suffix '-ness' (from Old English '-nes(s)', forming nouns that mean 'a state or quality of'). The verb 'forget' itself is built from the prefix 'for-' (meaning 'away, amiss') and 'getan' (to get, to grasp), so the original image was 'to lose one's grip on' something — an idea that still fits how we talk about a memory slipping away.