forgotten

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "forgotten" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to something that has been lost or left behind, or when referring to memories that have faded. Example sentence: I had completely forgotten about the party tonight until my friend reminded me.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Lifestyle

Opinion

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

What happened four months ago is forgotten, whether that's good, bad or indifferent.

The Guardian - Sport

You will never be forgotten and I will miss you every day.

The Guardian

His heroism had been forgotten, but doing something like this means you give the person whose life was cut short another chance, and you acknowledge the part their life played in the next chapter of your family's story".

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Within years of his death he was almost completely forgotten.

The Guardian - Arts

Angus Campbell, head of market analysis at Capital Spreads, said: It's feels like it's been such a long time since we've seen a sell off in equities that it comes as rather a surprise, and we've almost forgotten what it looks like to see red across our screens.

The Guardian - Business

Ministers have estimated that the cost to British businesses of enforcing a new EU law on the right to be forgotten and related regulations would be up to £360m a year.

The Guardian - Tech

The 46-year-old Lee is obsessed with obscure musicians, outsider artists and forgotten writers and he brings some of their off-kilter spirit to standup comedy.

The Guardian

"They're forgotten, and Ukip are capitalising on that".

The Guardian - Music

It became the epilepsy medication of choice and the ketogenic diet was dismissed and largely forgotten.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Many will tell you they have not forgotten the "socialist republic of South Yorkshire" of the 80s, which they feel led to poorer (Labour-voting) parts of Sheffield getting preferential treatment – a divide some say continues today.

The Guardian

The Qila was forgotten for a while after Humayun's rule, then remembered by the British.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "forgotten" to describe something that is no longer remembered or has been overlooked. It's effective for conveying a sense of loss or neglect.

Common error

Avoid using "forgetting" when you mean "forgotten". "Forgetting" is the present participle, while "forgotten" is the past participle used as an adjective. For instance, say "a forgotten memory", not "a forgetting memory".

Linguistic Context

The word "forgotten" primarily functions as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate something that is no longer remembered or has been overlooked. Ludwig AI confirms this usage, providing numerous examples where "forgotten" describes various nouns, such as "forgotten writers" or "forgotten towns".

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Opinion

20%

Lifestyle

15%

Less common in

Sport

5%

Tech

5%

Music

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "forgotten" is a grammatically correct and very common adjective used to describe something no longer remembered or overlooked. Ludwig AI confirms this. Its primary function is to convey a sense of loss or neglect, and it is suitable for a neutral register across various contexts, particularly in news and media, opinion pieces, and lifestyle articles. While synonyms like "overlooked" or "unremembered" exist, it's crucial to distinguish "forgotten" from "forgetting" to maintain grammatical accuracy. Remember to use "forgotten" to describe something lost to memory or neglect, as evidenced by the extensive examples provided by Ludwig.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unremembered

Direct synonym, emphasizing the lack of recall.

gone from memory

Expresses the state of being absent from one's thoughts.

become a distant memory

Emphasizes the remoteness and vagueness of a past event.

overlooked

Emphasizes something being missed or not given due attention.

faded from consciousness

Suggests a gradual disappearance from awareness.

passed over

Highlights the act of skipping or ignoring something.

slipped one's mind

Indicates a temporary lapse in memory.

repressed

Focuses on the act of subconsciously suppressing memories.

consigned to oblivion

Implies a complete and irreversible state of being forgotten.

buried

Suggests something deliberately hidden or obscured.

FAQs

How can I use "forgotten" in a sentence?

You can use "forgotten" to describe something that is no longer remembered, like "a "forgotten language"", or something that has been overlooked, like "forgotten children".

What is a good synonym for "forgotten"?

A good synonym for "forgotten" is "overlooked", especially when referring to something that has been missed or not given enough attention.

What's the difference between "forgotten" and "forsaken"?

"Forgotten" means not remembered, while "forsaken" implies abandonment or being deserted. They are not interchangeable.

Is it correct to say "a forgetting memory" instead of "a forgotten memory"?

No, it's incorrect. "Forgotten" is the past participle used as an adjective to describe the memory. "Forgetting" is the present participle and doesn't fit this context.