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

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

"We wanted to know if blinking was impacted by environmental factors and how it related to executive function," says lead author Pénélope Coupal, an Honours student at the Laboratory for Hearing and Cognition.

From Science Daily • Dec. 23, 2025

There was no intention on the part of Congress to subdivide the executive function, but rather to strengthen it by equipping it with carefully matured recommendations based upon adequate surveys of conditions.

From World's War Events, Vol. II by Reynolds, Francis J. (Francis Joseph)