get the memo
phrase
informal + often humorous
: to hear about or become aware of something generally known
—typically used in negative constructions to point to someone's surprising lack of awareness, to say that something did not happen as expected, etc.
Officials often warn tourists not to enter the water, but several tourists searching for that perfect Instagram photo apparently did not get the memo.—The San Francisco Chronicle
The calendar may say only five more days until fall, but mother nature did not get the memo. It is going to be hot and feel even hotter over the next couple of days.—Carrie Duncan
You're not still wearing those acid-washed jeans, are you? Tube socks and shorts? … OK, so no one told you. You didn't get the memo. Those things went out with neckties the size of small landing strips.—Christine Keating
It was expected to be a five-set test of endurance … But, Edberg apparently did not get the memo because he just dominated Courier and captured his first- ever U.S. Open title with a straight set triumph at the National Tennis Center in New York.—Van Earl Wright
Cite this Entry
“Get the memo.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/get%20the%20memo. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.
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