memorize
Americanverb (used with object)
verb (used without object)
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
memorizesimple
-
memorizessimple
-
have memorizedperfect
-
has memorizedperfect
-
am memorizingprogressive
-
are memorizingprogressive
-
is memorizingprogressive
-
have been memorizingperfect progressive
-
has been memorizingperfect progressive
Past
-
memorizedsimple
-
had memorizedperfect
-
was memorizingprogressive
-
were memorizingprogressive
-
had been memorizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of memorize
Explanation
If you memorize something you know it by heart. When you were a little kid, you were probably asked to memorize “The Pledge of Allegiance,” meaning you could recite it from memory with no cheat sheets. To memorize something is to get it into your memory, but it usually implies you’re learning something more complex than a new acquaintance’s name or the time of your next dentist appointment. People typically memorize things like multiplication tables, the periodic chart, Shakespearian quotes, lines for the community theater play, and their nine hundred different online passwords. There are many systems that people use for memorization: flash cards, association, color coding, and even sleeping with the book under their pillow.
Vocabulary lists containing memorize
Holes
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Brown Girl Dreaming
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The Circuit
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Memorize the first part, then the first part plus the second part, and so on.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 14, 2026
Memorize a few measurement-free recipes, too, like Salon senior writer Elizabeth Williams' three-ingredient cheesecake.
From Salon • Jan. 9, 2022
Memorize them quickly: These freshmen standouts probably will be off to the N.B.A. in several months.
From New York Times • Nov. 14, 2017
Memorize the basic contours of this map, and you can rule out entire regions from the get-go.
From Slate • May 15, 2013
Memorize them, write them down for the test, and forget them.
From "Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood" by Trevor Noah
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
