executive function

noun

psychology

: the group of complex mental processes and cognitive abilities (such as working memory, impulse inhibition, and reasoning) that control the skills (such as organizing tasks, remembering details, managing time, and solving problems) required for goal-directed behavior

The biggest impacts, she says, are in enhancing what's known as executive function—the ability to perform complex tasks that rely on planning or decision making.

—Janet Raloff

also : one of these complex mental processes

But a new study reports that soccer players actually have superior executive functions, the brain processes responsible for planning and abstract thinking.

—Sindya N. Bhanoo

executive functioning noun

Measures of attention, hyperactivity, and executive functioning (the ability to process feedback, interpret life's good and bad moments, and react in an appropriate way to events) were based on reports from parents and teachers …

—David Kirby

Examples of executive function in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Provide formal coaching and/or informal peer mentoring in stress management, communication, and executive functions. —Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 4 Apr. 2025

Conversely, a higher waist-to-hip ratio in midlife was linked with poorer working memory and poorer executive function. —Tom Gavin, EverydayHealth.com, 24 Mar. 2025

Yet, many neglect their eyesight, unknowingly compromising their mental sharpness, risk perception and executive function. —Dr Chibuzor Uwadi, Forbes, 14 Mar. 2025

The students also demonstrated a very large effect size of improvement across the domains of brain health and development mentioned above: social, emotional, behavioral, academic, and executive functions. —Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 15 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for executive function

• adjunction
• compunction
• conjunction
• disjunction
• dysfunction
• injunction
• inunction
• malfunction
• eigenfunction
• multifunction
• heterojunction
• junction