memorize

verb

mem·​o·​rize ˈme-mə-ˌrīz How to pronounce memorize (audio)
memorized; memorizing

transitive verb

: to commit to memory : learn by heart
memorizable adjective
memorizer noun

Examples of memorize in a Sentence

an actress memorizing her lines everyone has to memorize a poem for next week's class
Recent Examples on the Web There, Joann Navarro, a server, has memorized their drink orders. Danae King, The Christian Science Monitor, 17 Nov. 2023 After spending weeks in rehearsals, memorizing scripts, practicing songs and building the set, the decision left the students feeling distraught and confused, Max said. Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023 Second, for all the other words, children must memorize dozens of complex rules. Marion Blank, Scientific American, 26 Sep. 2023 Princess Beatrice's Husband Shares Never-Before-Seen Photo of Their Daughter Sienna for Her 2nd Birthday Dyslexia influences 1 in 5 people and affects an individual's ability to learn and process information which causes particular challenges in spelling, reading and memorizing facts. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 3 Oct. 2023 Over the years, experts say, the pendulum has swung between procedural learning, such as teaching kids to memorize how to solve problems step-by-step, and conceptual understanding, in which students grasp underlying math relationships, sometimes making these discoveries on their own. Jackie Valley, The Christian Science Monitor, 29 Aug. 2023 Slapping the tastes out of folks’ mouths, describing smells perfectly, staying woke and weird, memorizing everyone’s pass codes to their phones through her peripheral vision, and plotting revenge were just five parts of what made Ella Staywoke the most gifted new teenager in Jackson. Oliver Munday, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2023 Gambon retired from the stage in 2015, citing issues memorizing his lines. Daniel Kreps, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2023 The rest have to catch up quickly, memorizing Silvestrini’s directions on the fly. Pino Gagliardi, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'memorize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1834, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of memorize was in 1834

Dictionary Entries Near memorize

Cite this Entry

“Memorize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/memorize. Accessed 29 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

memorize

verb
mem·​o·​rize ˈmem-ə-ˌrīz How to pronounce memorize (audio)
memorized; memorizing
: to learn by heart
memorization noun

More from Merriam-Webster on memorize

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