What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
paramnesia
Example
She experienced paramnesia and believed she had met the celebrity before. [paramnesia: noun]
Example
The patient's paramnesic episodes made it difficult for her to distinguish between real and imagined events. [paramnesic: adjective]
confabulation
Example
The patient's confabulations made it difficult for the doctor to determine what was real and what was not. [confabulations: noun]
Example
He confabulated a story about his whereabouts to cover up his mistake. [confabulated: verb]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Confabulation is more commonly used than paramnesia in everyday language. Confabulation is often associated with memory loss due to aging or brain injury, while paramnesia is less common and often associated with neurological conditions.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between paramnesia and confabulation?
Both paramnesia and confabulation are formal words that are typically used in medical or scientific contexts.