oblivious
/ə'bliviəs/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Adjective:
- Lacking conscious awareness or attention; unmindful: Describes a state of being completely unaware of or not noticing something, often because one is preoccupied or forgetful.
- Failing to remember or keep in mind; forgetful: Describes a tendency to forget or neglect things, sometimes associated with age or distraction.
Usage and Examples
Basic Usage (followed by 'to' or 'of'):
- He was completely oblivious to the noise around him. (He was completely unaware of the surrounding noise.)
- She seemed oblivious of the danger. (She appeared not to notice the danger at all.)
Describing Forgetfulness:
- In his oblivious old age, he often forgot names. (In his forgetful old age, he frequently could not remember names.)
- She was oblivious to her duties, lost in her own thoughts. (She was neglectful of her duties because she was preoccupied.)
Advanced Usage and Nuances
"Oblivious" vs. "Unaware": While both mean lacking knowledge, "oblivious" often implies a more profound or willful lack of perception, sometimes due to inattention or absorption in something else. "Unaware" can be more neutral.
- The child, oblivious to social cues, continued talking loudly. (The child, completely insensitive to social signals, kept talking loudly.)
Literary or Formal Tone: The word is common in both formal and literary contexts to describe a deep state of unawareness.
- They danced, oblivious to the world outside. (They danced, utterly unconcerned with anything else happening.)
Variants and Related Words
- Oblivion (noun): The state of being completely forgotten or unknown; unconsciousness or forgetfulness.
- The ancient language faded into oblivion. (The ancient language was completely forgotten.)
- Obliviously (adverb): In an oblivious manner.
- He walked obliviously past the "Wet Paint" sign. (He walked past the sign without noticing it at all.)
Synonyms
- Unaware: Not having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.
- Unmindful: Not conscious or aware.
- Forgetful: Apt or likely not to remember.
- Heedless: Showing a reckless lack of care or attention.
Antonyms
- Aware: Having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact.
- Mindful: Conscious or aware of something.
- Attentive: Paying close attention.
- Conscious: Aware of and responding to one's surroundings.
Idioms and Common Phrases
- Oblivious to the fact that...: A common phrase used to introduce the specific thing someone is unaware of.
- He was oblivious to the fact that everyone was waiting for him. (He did not realize at all that everyone was waiting for him.)
- Lost in oblivious thought: So deep in thought that one is unaware of surroundings.
- She stared out the window, lost in oblivious thought. (She gazed out the window, completely absorbed in her thinking and unaware of anything else.)
Adjective
- failing to keep in mind
- forgetful of her responsibilities
- oblivious old age
- (followed by `to' or `of') lacking conscious awareness of
- oblivious of the mounting pressures for political reform
- oblivious to the risks she ran
- not unmindful of the heavy responsibility