“Out of sight, out of mind” observes how easily we forget what we no longer see. Here is what it means, its ancient origin, how to use it, and a few sayings — including its famous opposite — that explore how distance affects memory.
What Does “Out of Sight, Out of Mind” Mean?
The proverb means that we tend to forget people or things once they are no longer in front of us. What we don’t see regularly slips from our thoughts — an absent friend, an old hobby, a problem we’ve tucked away. It can be a neutral observation about human memory, a gentle excuse for losing touch, or a deliberate strategy: put a temptation out of sight and it troubles you less.
Origin of the Proverb
The thought is ancient — the Roman poet Ovid mused that absence loosens the bonds of love, and the sentiment recurs throughout classical writing. It is often linked to Thomas à Kempis, who wrote something very like it in The Imitation of Christ around 1420. The earliest printed English version appears in John Heywood’s 1546 collection of proverbs — and since Heywood was simply gathering sayings already in common use, the proverb is certainly older still.
Examples in a Sentence
- “Once he moved abroad, we slowly lost touch — out of sight, out of mind.”
- “I keep the biscuits in the cupboard, not on the counter: out of sight, out of mind.”
- “The issue was forgotten the moment it left the agenda. Out of sight, out of mind.”
Similar Proverbs
- Absence makes the heart grow fonder — the famous opposite, that distance deepens affection.
- Long absent, soon forgotten — an older proverb with the same meaning.
- Seldom seen, soon forgotten — another close variant.
- What the eye doesn’t see, the heart doesn’t grieve over — we don’t fret about what we can’t see.
For more on memory, love and distance, see our absence makes the heart grow fonder and love proverbs, or browse the full library of proverbs and their meanings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “out of sight, out of mind” mean?
It means we tend to forget people or things we no longer see regularly — what is not in front of us fades from our thoughts.
Where does the proverb come from?
The idea is ancient, found in Ovid and in Thomas à Kempis around 1420, and the earliest printed English version is in John Heywood’s 1546 proverb collection.
Isn’t the opposite “absence makes the heart grow fonder”?
Yes — the two proverbs contradict each other neatly. One says distance makes us forget; the other says it deepens our affection. Both are true, depending on the bond.