Can’t Remember a Word? Stop Trying So Hard

Quick Win

Tip-of-the-tongue moments are frustrating, and they get more common as we age. Instead of trying to force yourself to remember, try an indirect approach.

Try This Today

• Free associate. Vocalize words you think may be similar to the one you’re trying to remember. For example, if you know a neighbor’s name starts with B, start listing all the names you know that begin with B. You can also try to talk about the meaning of the word. Both of these strategies may “prime” the brain, triggering the word to pop into your mind.
• Close your eyes. Give yourself extra time to retrieve the word, in a calm, quiet environment with your eyes closed. And don’t be discouraged if you stay stuck — more than likely, the word will come to you later.
• Let your mind wander. Take a break and focus on something else. When your mind wanders, activity in other parts of your brain increases, including areas associated with complex problem-solving. Do something physical, such as taking a walk; something spatial, such as a jigsaw puzzle; or any simple activity that encourages your mind to relax its grip.

Why

The mental hunt for an elusive word is a particular form of torment, but rest assured that tip-of-the-tongue moments — known as “TOT states” by scientists — are very common. Trying to remember the word through force of will typically doesn’t work. In fact, recalling a word becomes more difficult the longer we think about it, according to a 2015 study published in Cognition. Indirect methods, like the ones above, commonly lead to those “aha” moments when the word appears, seemingly out of nowhere. “As summarized in the 2016 book Cognition, Language and Aging, the most effective method to remember that word is to stop thinking about it—which helps lead to what researchers call “spontaneous resolution,” or more simply, the pop-up.”