4 syllables: Ob, li, vi, on. Stress on li.
uh-BLIV-ee-uhn
/əˈblɪviən/
Oblivion is pronounced uh-BLIV-ee-uhn (/əˈblɪviən/). It has four syllables (Ob-li-vi-on), with the stress on "li". Oblivion (noun) refers to the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening, or the condition of being forgotten or unknown. It can describe a place of forgetfulness metaphorically, or a state of nonexistence where something is erased from memory or consciousness. In literature and discussion, it often connotes total obscurity or obliviousness rather than mere forgetfulness.
nounOblivion (noun) refers to the state of being unaware or unconscious of what is happening, or the condition of being forgotten or unknown. It can describe a place of forgetfulness metaphorically, or a state of nonexistence where something is erased from memory or consciousness. In literature and discussion, it often connotes total obscurity or obliviousness rather than mere forgetfulness.
"Her memoir faded into oblivion after a publisher dropped the project."
"The sunken ship slipped into oblivion, lost to the depths of the ocean."
"He spoke of his past with a sigh, as if it were slipping into oblivion."
Pronounce as /ˌɒblɪˈvɪən/ in UK and /ˌɑːblɪˈviːən/ in US (with US often /əˈblɪviən/ depending on dialect). Primary stress on LIV. Start with a short 'ob' /ˈɒb/ or /əˈblɪ/ depending on rhythm, then /lɪ/ and the stressed /ˈvɪ/ followed by /ən/. Tip: keep the second syllable light but clear, and treat -vi- as a single syllable with a clear /v/ before the final unstressed /ən/.
Common errors: 1) Misplacing the stress, saying ob-LIV-i-on but over-emphasizing the first syllable. 2) Slurring the /v/ into /f/ or /w/, producing /ɒbliw/ or /əˈblifən/. 3) Dropping the final -ion, giving /ˈɒblɪvi/ or /ˈɒblɪviən/ without the final schwa. Correction: keep stress on LIV, articulate /v/ clearly between /i/ and /ən/, and allow the final /ən/ lightly, using a short neutral vowel.
US: /ˌɑːblɪˈviːən/ or /əˈblɪviən/ with rhoticity and a longer /viː/ in some dialects; UK: /ˌɒb.lɪˈvɪ.ən/ with non-rhotic /r/ and shorter /ɪ/; AU: /ˌɒblɪˈvɪən/ similar to UK but with a broader vowel of /ɒ/ and a more open /ɪ/ in LIV; all share primary stress on LIV but vowels adjust with rhoticity and vowel quality.
Because it blends multiple vowels: the schwa-like initial /ə/ or /ɒ/ depending on dialect, the clear /v/ between two light vowels, and a secondary stress feel in LIV while maintaining a trailing unstressed -ion. The word also includes a triplet of consonants in sequence (b-l-v) that require subtle tongue adjustments, plus the non-rhotic or rhotic variation. Mastery comes from practicing the sequence ob-LIV-i-on with steady tempo and accurate vowel quality.
The unique feature is the strong secondary emphasis in LIV with a defined /v/ before a soft /ɪ/ and final /ən/; the stress pattern is not evenly distributed: there is a noticeable rise on LIV, followed by a crisper care of the final -ion. You’ll also hear dialectal variation in the first syllable, shifting from /ɒb/ to /ə/ depending on pace and formality. Remember to keep the mouth in a rounded shape for /ɒ/ or /ə/ and then clear /v/.
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Oblivion comes from Middle English oblivion, via Old French oblivion, ultimately from Latin oblivio/oblivionem, from ob- ‘toward’ + liber ‘free’ or from the related verb oblivisci ‘to forget, be forgetful.’ The Latin oblivion is tied to oblivisci “to forget,” itself formed with ob- (toward, away) and lis/lig- (to loosen, to forget). The word entered English in the early modern period to denote a state of being forgotten or oblivious. Over the centuries, its sense broadened from “the act of forgetting” to include “the condition of memory loss” and more figuratively, “extinction from memory or consciousness.” In classical and literary uses, oblivion often evokes dramatic themes of erasure, anonymity, or existential erasing of the self. In contemporary usage, oblivion can describe both literal memory loss (medical) and metaphorical non-recognition, public neglect, or a place of unawareness. The term remains common in philosophy, fiction, and media to convey total forgetfulness or timeless anonymity.
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Words that rhyme with "Oblivion"
-ian sounds
-ion sounds
Practice with these rhyming pairs to improve your pronunciation consistency:
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