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Glite Dictionary
to black out the memory

to black out the memory

7.7
To stop yourself remembering something sad or scary on purpose
  • phrasal verb
  • /blæk aʊt ðə ˈmɛməri/
translation icon : suprimir el recuerdo
  • Some people black out the memory of traumatic events as a coping mechanism.

Examples

  • He found it nearly impossible to black out the memory of his childhood hardships.

  • After the accident, she tried to black out the memory of what had happened.

  • She tried to black out the memory of the accident.

  • I want to black out the memory of that painful breakup.

  • After the trauma, she knew she needed to black out the memory of that day to move on.

  • To cope with the pain, he decided to black out the memory of his past mistakes.

  • Many individuals black out the memory of their grief to protect themselves from emotional pain.

Synonyms

to forget
vsto black out the memory
∞ 1.8

Decide not to think about something

is about active suppression aimed at avoiding distressing memories rather than casual avoidance
to repress
vsto black out the memory
75 6.6

Keep strong feelings or memories from coming into the mind

is specifically about intentional blocking to avoid recalling distressing events
to blot out
vsto black out the memory
8 5.4

Hide something so you cannot see it or remember it

is a deliberate mental blocking focused on avoiding distressing recall
to disremember
vsto black out the memory
  • Archaic
1 9.9

Choose not to remember something painful

is used when action aims specifically to avoid recalling distressing material

Antonyms

to remember
∞ 1.0

To think about something from the past

How Accessible

to recall
∞ 2.4
to forget
∞ 1.0
to black out the memory
7.7

Surface Forms

black out the memory infinitive
black out the memory past
black out the memory past participle
blacking out the memory present participle
blacks out the memory third person singular

Morphology

black + out + the + memory

The compound 'black out' combines 'black' (to darken) with the particle 'out' suggesting removal or exclusion, so a learner could infer a metaphorical sense of making a memory disappear. However, the idiomatic extension to intentionally suppress or block recollection is somewhat metaphorical and context-dependent (the verb has multiple senses like power failure or fainting), so the exact meaning is not fully predictable without exposure.

Etymology

Black out the memory comes from the simple image of covering a picture or text with black paint or a marker so you cannot see it. So to black out a memory is to hide it in your mind—trying to 'forget' or 'avoid remembering' something painful.