executive function

American  

[ig-zek-yuh-tiv fuhngk-shuhn] / ɪgˈzɛk jə 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.

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Etymology

Origin of executive function

First recorded in 1920–25

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

executive function

Physical activity and movement, like playing freeze tag or shooting hoops during recess, can improve information processing, executive function, attention, and memory, research suggests.

From Slate ● Sep. 5, 2026

In the first stage of the disease, some people also experience short-term memory problems, depression, aggressive tendencies, and executive function issues, according to the CTE Society, a non-profit group.

From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026

Moderate exercise has been shown to improve learning among students from elementary school through young adulthood, and the effects on attention, memory and executive function are well-documented, pediatricians say.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026

So much aspirational frugal cooking quietly assumes you have endless time, energy and executive function to devote to homemade bread, all-day braises and deeply involved kitchen projects.

From Salon ● May 19, 2026

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 T. R. (Thomas Ramsden) Ashworth