oblivious

[ uh-bliv-ee-uhs ]

adjective

1. unmindful; unconscious; unaware (usually followed by of or to ):

   She was oblivious of his admiration.

2. forgetful; without remembrance or memory:

   oblivious of my former failure.

3. Archaic. inducing forgetfulness.

oblivious

/ əˈblɪvɪəs /

adjective

1. foll byto or of unaware or forgetful

Usage

It was formerly considered incorrect to use oblivious to mean unaware , but this use is now acceptable

Derived Forms

• obˈliviously, adverb
• obˈliviousness, noun

Other Words From

• ob·liv·i·ous·ly adverb
• ob·liv·i·ous·ness noun
• self-ob·liv·i·ous adjective
• sem·i·ob·liv·i·ous adjective
• sem·i·ob·liv·i·ous·ly adverb
• un·ob·liv·i·ous adjective
• un·ob·liv·i·ous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of oblivious¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin oblīviōsus “forgetful,” equivalent to oblīvī(scī) “to forget” + -ōsus -ous ( def )

Synonym Study

See absent-minded.

Example Sentences

Antony Snook, 45, tried to claim he had been oblivious to their plan, but a jury rejected this defence and found him guilty of the murders.

From BBC

But they couldn’t claim they were totally oblivious – there were campaigners and MPs pleading with them to push the Post Office for answers on Horizon.

From BBC

I’m not oblivious to the irony that my career is basically tracking the death of democracy.

From Los Angeles Times

"She just thought it was two sisters playing dress up and taking silly pictures, so she's actually completely oblivious to it to this day."

From BBC

When violent crime began to skyrocket nationwide in the mid-1970s, Southeast San Diego suffered with the rest of the country, while the city’s white majority could remain largely oblivious.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• blind
• deaf
• inattentive
• unconcerned
• unfamiliar
• uninformed