Forgetting: English Vocabulary List

to be unable to remember something clearly

"I drew a blank."

"Despite hours of searching through old files, the detective continued to draw a blank."

to often forget things due to one's exceptionally poor memory

"I have a brain like a sieve."

"My grandmother has a memory like a sieve, so she always writes everything down in her little notebook."

a time so long ago that one has difficulty remembering clearly

"That happened time out of mind."

"People have gathered at this ancient stone circle for festivals time out of mind."

to be very close to remembering or saying something but fail nevertheless

"Her name is on the tip of my tongue."

"The actor name is on the tip of my tongue but I just cannot remember it right now."

to be forgotten or disregarded

"I am sorry, your name slipped my mind."

"I completely forgot to call the doctor because the appointment totally slipped my mind."

to no longer be angry with someone who wronged one and act as if nothing happened

"It is best to forgive and forget."

"It is hard to forgive and forget when someone has hurt you deeply but it is necessary for moving on."

to fail to remember what one previously knew

"My mind went blank suddenly."

"During the exam, my mind went completely blank, and I couldn't remember anything I had studied the night before."

temporary loss of memory that is experienced by some people when they get old

"Grandpa had a senior moment."

"Grandpa had a senior moment and forgot where he parked the car in the large garage."

(of something that happened) really difficult to remember how long has passed since it happened to one

"The real story is lost in the mists of time."

"The true origin of the ancient monument has been lost in the mists of time."

to be unable to remember something clearly

"I draw a blank."

"Despite studying all night, I still draw a blank when asked about the complex historical dates."