How to pronounce oblivion
Say it like uh-BLIV-ee-un. Oblivion has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BLIV).
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce oblivion. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- uh
- BLIV
- ee
- un
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Oblivion pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- uhKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
- BLIVSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "i" in sit.
- eeKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the "ee" in see.
- unKeep this part quick and light. The vowel is the relaxed "uh" in about.
American vs British pronunciation of oblivion
American and British speakers say oblivion in essentially the same way: /əˈblɪviən/ in the US and /əˈblɪviən/ in the UK.
British respelling: uh-BLIV-ee-un.
What does oblivion mean?
- The state of forgetting completely, of being oblivious, unconscious, unaware, as when sleeping, drunk, or dead.“He regularly drank himself into oblivion.”
- The state of being completely forgotten, of being reduced to a state of non-existence, extinction, or nothingness, including through war and destruction. (Figuratively) for an area like hell, a wasteland.“Due to modern technology, many more people and much more information will not slip into oblivion, contrary to what happened throughout history until now.”
- A form of purgatory.
- To consign to oblivion; to efface utterly.
Where does oblivion come from?
Inherited from Middle English oblivion, from Anglo-Norman oblivion, from Latin oblīviō (“forgetfulness”), from oblīvīscor (“to forget”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Questions about saying oblivion
How do you pronounce oblivion?
Say uh-BLIV-ee-un. The American pronunciation is /əˈblɪviən/. In British English it is /əˈblɪviən/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in oblivion?
Oblivion has four syllables, and the main stress falls on the second one (BLIV). Broken into parts: uh · BLIV · ee · un.
Do Americans and Brits say oblivion the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /əˈblɪviən/ and the British form is /əˈblɪviən/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.