Meaning & use
fond memory
Last updated
Meaning
phrasecountable
a pleasant memory of a past person, place, or event that you remember with warm feelings
Grammar: Countable: you can say 'a fond memory' or 'fond memories'. It is often followed by 'of': a fond memory of childhood.
Patterns
- a fond memory of something
- have fond memories of something
- bring back fond memories
I have fond memories of the summers I spent at my grandmother's house.
Looking at the old photos brought back a fond memory of our first trip together.
She smiled as she shared a fond memory of her school days.
Word forms
| plural | fond memories |
|---|
Common combinations
- have fond memories of
- They still have fond memories of their time living in Japan.
- bring back fond memories
- That song always brings back fond memories of college.
- a fond memory of
- He told us a fond memory of his father teaching him to fish.
- cherish a fond memory
- She cherishes the fond memory of her wedding day.
Synonyms and how they differ
- happy memory
- Similar, but 'happy memory' focuses on the emotion at the time, while 'fond memory' suggests affection and warmth looking back.
- nostalgic memory
- Stronger and sometimes slightly sad; 'nostalgic' often implies longing for the past, while 'fond' is simply warm and positive.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: fond memory or fondness?
fond memory vs fondness
'Fondness' is a noun meaning affection, not a memory. You can have a fondness for chocolate, but a fond memory is a remembered event.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'fond memory' correctly?
Choose one answer.
The phrase is 'a fond memory of something'. Option 2 uses 'for', which is not the usual preposition; option 3 misses the article 'a'; option 4 uses 'about', which is less natural here.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “fond memory”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.