# oblivion

/əˈbɫɪviən/ (US) · /əblˈɪviən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/oblivion
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. being forgotten

noun · CEFR C1 · Literary

the state of being completely forgotten by the public or by history.

For teachers: the state of being forgotten or unknown to the public; a condition of total obscurity or non-existence in memory.

- The once-famous singer lived the rest of his life in total oblivion.
- Many revolutionary technologies of the nineteenth century have since faded into oblivion, replaced by more efficient modern alternatives.

### 2. unconsciousness

noun · CEFR C2 · Literary

a state where you are not aware of anything, often because of sleep, drugs, or alcohol.

For teachers: a state of being unaware or unconscious, typically induced by sleep, intoxication, or medical conditions.

- He drank until he reached a state of blissful oblivion.
- After the exhausting climb, she collapsed onto her bed and sank into the oblivion of a deep, dreamless sleep.

### 3. amnesty

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Formal

an official act of forgetting or forgiving past crimes or mistakes.

For teachers: an official oversight or pardon of past offences; a legal act of forgetting.

- The king granted an act of oblivion to those who had fought against him.
- The treaty included an act of oblivion, ensuring that no citizen would be prosecuted for political actions taken during the civil war.

## Examples

- He drank until he fell into a deep sleep of oblivion.
- The once-famous actor lived out his final years in total oblivion, ignored by the public and the press.
- Many ancient civilizations have faded into historical oblivion, leaving behind only a few scattered ruins and undeciphered inscriptions for modern archaeologists to study.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.