memory lapse
noun
: a period of time when a person forgets things that he or she should have remembered
As he grew older he began to have memory lapses.
Examples of memory lapse in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And with that aside comment, Shohat pounced, accusing Perera of suddenly having a memory lapse after testifying as a cooperating government witness without any problems for two full days.
—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
Searching through old blueprints to discover where the boulders are buried is an extreme example of an institutional memory lapse.
—
Henry Grabar,
The Atlantic,
18 Mar. 2026
Patients with advanced heart and lung disease often struggled with fatigue, slowed thinking, and memory lapses.
—
Bill Frist,
Forbes.com,
17 Mar. 2026
In recent years, scientists have studied whether being bilingual may help ward off the memory lapses and reduced mental sharpness that come with an aging brain.
—
Stephen Wade,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Inspired by true stories, the film stars Milan Ondrík as the titular father Michal, a devoted family man who, as a result of a temporary memory lapse and a resulting tragedy, sees his life spiraling out of control.
—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Dec. 2025
Key Takeaways Short-term, alcohol slows brain processing, triggers the reward system, reduces stress and pain, impairs spatial thinking, and can cause memory lapses or blackouts.
—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
6 Nov. 2025
Dips in brain health with age might not be as apparent as, say, the loss of bounciness in your skin or mobility in your knees (save for the random memory lapse).
—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
15 Oct. 2025
Occasional memory lapses are usually not cause for alarm.
—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
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Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
10 Apr. 2026
Searching through old blueprints to discover where the boulders are buried is an extreme example of an institutional memory lapse.
—
Henry Grabar,
The Atlantic,
18 Mar. 2026
Patients with advanced heart and lung disease often struggled with fatigue, slowed thinking, and memory lapses.
—
Bill Frist,
Forbes.com,
17 Mar. 2026
In recent years, scientists have studied whether being bilingual may help ward off the memory lapses and reduced mental sharpness that come with an aging brain.
—
Stephen Wade,
Los Angeles Times,
13 Jan. 2026
Inspired by true stories, the film stars Milan Ondrík as the titular father Michal, a devoted family man who, as a result of a temporary memory lapse and a resulting tragedy, sees his life spiraling out of control.
—
Georg Szalai,
HollywoodReporter,
9 Dec. 2025
Key Takeaways Short-term, alcohol slows brain processing, triggers the reward system, reduces stress and pain, impairs spatial thinking, and can cause memory lapses or blackouts.
—
Sarah Bence,
Verywell Health,
6 Nov. 2025
Dips in brain health with age might not be as apparent as, say, the loss of bounciness in your skin or mobility in your knees (save for the random memory lapse).
—
Erica Sloan,
SELF,
15 Oct. 2025
Occasional memory lapses are usually not cause for alarm.
—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Memory lapse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/memory%20lapse. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
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