memorization

noun

mem·​o·​ri·​za·​tion ˌme-mə-rə-ˈzā-shən 

ˌme-mə-(ˌ)rī-, 

ˌmem-rə-

: the act or process of memorizing something : commitment of something to memory

The current emphasis on written exams and memorization encourages what is referred to bitterly by many educators as "teaching to the test."

—Alison Lurie

Seeking a balance to his daily diet of science and memorization of facts, he pursues music avocationally.

—Judith Wynn Halsted

Common core standards, which Alabama adopted in 2010 and implemented in 2012, emphasize thinking mathematically rather than memorization of formulas.

—Trisha Powell Crain

Examples of memorization in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The model emphasizes adaptation over memorization, creating a continuous learning cycle that improves performance with each deployment, regardless of the robot’s hardware or the task at hand, according to The Robot Report. —Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 16 Jan. 2026

For one, if memorization is unavoidable, then AI developers will have to somehow prevent users from accessing memorized content, as law scholars have written. —Alex Reisner, The Atlantic, 9 Jan. 2026

Environments are dense and moody, enemy patterns are aggressive, and boss fights demand careful memorization rather than brute-force upgrades. —David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 31 Dec. 2025

The most important skills were never about memorization or speed. —Ben Churchill, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1816, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for memorization

• abbreviation
• abomination
• acceleration
• accentuation
• accommodation
• accreditation
• acculturation
• accumulation
• acetylation
• adjudication
• administration
• adulteration