executive function

American  

[ig-zek-yuh-tiv fuhngk-shuhn] / ɪgˈzɛk yə tɪv ˈfʌŋk ʃən /

Also executive functioning

noun

1. a set of cognitive skills used to control one’s thoughts and behavior, especially the skills needed to focus on and organize tasks.

---

Etymology

Origin of executive function

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

My husband’s memory is still good, but he has lost some executive function and his physical condition is limited.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 9, 2026

Compared with children who attended non-Montessori programs, Montessori students performed better in reading, memory, and executive function.

From Science Daily • Jan. 1, 2026

Habits under pressure reveal readiness: a student who asks a clarifying question instead of freezing, repairs a mistake without spiraling and a parent who works with the school to build executive function.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 17, 2025

Indeed, researchers have found nature-based learning supports creativity, resiliency, executive function, school readiness and a host of other benefits for the body and mind.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 9, 2024

But the framers of the Constitution divided the legislative function between the two Houses, and vested the executive function almost entirely, as they thought, in the President.

From Proportional Representation Applied To Party Government by Ashworth, T. R. (Thomas Ramsden)