How to improve memory of words?

[CathyA]

I can't believe how much of the day I spend trying to remember words! It drives me nuts. I was thinking of reading a thesaurus or something. Flash cards with the definition on one side and the word on the other???

I hope there's something I can do to improve this.

I visited with an old friend last week. She's almost 70. We spent most of our time trying to help each other with the words we were trying to remember!

[loosechickens]

If you're talking the learning of new words, one thing we always did with our kids was 1) whenever you encounter a word you don't know, stop immediately and look it up and 2) for the next few days, work that word to DEATH in conversation, and after that you'll "own" that word for life.

Example: defenestration (death by being pushed out a window, or swift expulsion from usually a political office)......"ohmygosh, if only my typing teacher could be a victim of defenestration before the typing test", "that cat loves to lie on the windowsill, but if he's not careful, he's going to use up what's left of his lives by the resulting death by defenestration", or "one can only hope that his opponents will uncover an inconvenient affair and he'll suffer defenestration and then political oblivion", and on and on until everybody in the FAMILY will "own" the word defenestration for life.....

Hey, it worked for me........now if you're just talking words that you can't remember any more....haven't gotten to that point yet, so can't help with that one....I'm only like that about people's names...just this morning, "what was Charlotte's daughter's name?" blank look from two people, who will now be driven nuts all day trying to remember the danged kids name, or will be searching Facebook for contemporaries who might have her for a friend......ah the life of retired people......

[Kestra]

Just use them. If I read an unusual word or think of one I just say some random thing to DH that involves that word. Luckily, he likes to do the same, so we amuse each other with our unusual word usage.

[KayLR]

I'm having increasing problems with this. It's more a case of having a word on the tip of my tongue and not being able to come out with it. I assume it's just a symptom of age....but very, very frustrating and humbling. Especially for someone who used to, and aspires to, write for a living.

I keep trying to do more reading and puzzle-working in hopes it helps.

[Mrs-M]

This is a fun thread! I'm really dumb when it comes to words so I'm feeding off all the advice here.

[leslieann]

I subscribed to the word a day at dictionary.com. It is fun; actually, I have a lot of words at my disposal (comes of too many years in graduate school) so I partly use the email to check myself....but at least weekly there is a word I've not heard before. It's fun!

Okay, for a geek it is fun.

[CathyA]

I know tons of words......just can't remember them when I need to!