memorize

[/ˈmeməraɪz/]
verb
memorizar
1. to commit something to memory; to learn and retain information so that it can be recalled
Students need to memorize the periodic table for the chemistry exam.
Os alunos precisam memorizar a tabela periódica para a prova de química.
2. to learn something by heart or by rote repetition
The actor memorized all his lines before the performance.
O ator memorizou todas as suas falas antes da apresentação.
3. to store information in one's mind through repeated exposure or study
Children often memorize songs and poems through repetition.
As crianças frequentemente memorizam músicas e poemas através da repetição.
In Brazil, both 'memorizar' and the more colloquial 'decorar' are used interchangeably, particularly in educational settings. While 'memorizar' is the formal term, students often use 'decorar' when discussing test preparation. In American culture, memorization is often viewed as a fundamental study technique, though modern educational approaches increasingly emphasize understanding over rote memorization.
NYC Slang
get it down pat
Synonyms / Sinônimos
learn by heartcommit to memoryretainrememberimprint
Antonyms / Antônimos
forgetdisrememberignore

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
memorizar
Standard usage throughout Brazil, commonly used in educational contexts
São Paulo
memorizar
Most common form; occasionally used colloquially as 'decorar' (to decorate/memorize)
Rio de Janeiro
memorizar
Standard usage; 'decorar' is also very common in casual speech
Portugal
memorizar
Standard European Portuguese equivalent; 'decorar' is also widely used

Related Words

memorymemorizationmemorablemnemonicretentionrecalllearnstudy

Related Idioms & Phrases

commit to memory
learn by heart
engrave in one's memory
have at one's fingertips
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