Oblivious To: Standard Pattern
Oblivious To: Standard Pattern records the directly documented Cambridge construction and keeps guidance bounded to the evidenced complement pattern rather than inventing a broader prohibition.
Cambridge documents “oblivious to” for being unaware of something, while also recognizing “oblivious of.”
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| unaware of or not noticing someone/something | oblivious to + noun phrase | Use the directly documented “to” complement. |
| same basic unaware meaning with the documented alternative complement | oblivious of + noun phrase | Recognize this alternative rather than marking it categorically wrong. |
| no complement expressed because context supplies what is unnoticed | oblivious | A complement is not always required. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Are you naming the thing a person is unaware of or fails to notice?
If yes: “Oblivious to” is directly documented; use it naturally with that complement.
If no: “Oblivious of” is also documented, and the adjective can appear without an expressed complement when context is sufficient.
Caveat: The reviewed evidence also recognizes “oblivious of,” so this page must not present “to” as the only possible complement.
Examples
He seemed oblivious to the warning signs.
The “to” phrase names what he failed to notice.
She was oblivious to the conversation behind her.
The complement identifies what was unnoticed.
They appeared completely oblivious.
The adjective can stand without an explicit complement when context supplies the reference.
Further guidance
Construction
Cambridge documents “oblivious to” for being unaware of or not noticing something; it also records “oblivious of” as an alternative.
Style Boundary
This page records the directly evidenced to-complement while explicitly preserving Cambridge’s documented “oblivious of” alternative rather than inventing a universal prohibition.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- oblivious to someone/something — Cambridge Dictionary (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Cambridge collocation evidence for oblivious to someone/something, with oblivious of also documented.