How to Memorize Definitions Fast Without Forgetting: 6 Proven Hacks to Stop “La Cram La Pour

Picture this: You are in the exam hall. The invigilator just shouted, “Five minutes remaining!” You are staring at Question 3b: “Define Photosynthesis.”

You know you read this definition last night. You even recited it while brushing your teeth this morning. But right now? Your brain is blank. You remember “Carbon dioxide” and “Sunlight,” but the rest of the sentence has vanished.

It is painful.

For many Nigerian students, this is a recurring nightmare. We rely heavily on “La Cram, La Pour”—cramming the exact words of the textbook and pouring them out on the paper. But the moment the exam pressure hits, the “pour” refuses to flow.

If you want to know how to memorize definitions fast without forgetting, you have to stop fighting your brain and start working with it. Here are the methods that actually work, tried and tested from secondary school to the university lecture halls.

1. Stop Memorizing Sentences (The Keyword Method)

Here is the biggest mistake you are making: You are trying to memorize a definition like it’s a song lyric.

Textbook definitions are often long and full of “big grammar.” If you try to memorize a 5-line sentence word-for-word, you will fail if you forget just one word.

Instead, look for the Keywords.

Let’s take a definition of Economics. Instead of cramming the whole paragraph, just pick out: “Social science,” “Human wants,” “Limited resources,” and “Alternative uses.”

Once you lock these four phrases in your head, you can form your own sentence around them. Markers at top institutions like the University of Ibadan (UI) are looking for these keywords, not a copy-paste of the textbook. As long as the keywords are there and the grammar is correct, you get your full marks.

2. The Feynman Technique (Teach It to a Child)

There is a saying: “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.”

This is called the Feynman Technique. When you read a definition, close the book and try to explain it to an imaginary 10-year-old (or your actual younger sibling).

If you find yourself using jargon or getting stuck, it means you don’t truly understand the concept; you were just memorizing sounds.

Break it down into Pidgin if you have to. “Osmosis na when water move from where e plenti go where e no plenti through semi-permeable membrane.” Once you understand the logic in your own language, translating it back to English for the exam becomes 10 times easier.

3. Mnemonics: The “MR NIGER D” Magic

Remember Primary Science? We all remember the characteristics of living things because of “MR NIGER D” (Movement, Respiration, Nutrition, etc.).

Why do we remember that 10 years later but forget what we read yesterday? Because the human brain loves patterns.

You can create your own acronyms for complex university definitions. If a definition has five key components, take the first letter of each component and make a word. It doesn’t even have to make sense—in fact, the weirder it is, the more likely you are to remember it.

This is a strategy often recommended on the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) e-learning portal for students struggling with heavy theories in Biology and Government.

4. Active Recall (Close the Book!)

Most students study by reading their notes over and over again. They highlight everything until the whole page is neon yellow.

Let me be honest with you: That is a waste of time. It feels like you are studying, but you are just recognizing the text, not learning it.

To really memorize fast, you need Active Recall.

1. Read the definition once.

2. Close the book.

3. Try to write it down or say it out loud from memory.

4. Open the book and check.

If you made a mistake, fix it and try again. That struggle—the feeling of your brain sweating to find the answer—is where the actual learning happens. It’s tough, but it works.

5. Spaced Repetition (Don’t Do It All at Once)

You can’t go to the gym for 10 hours in one day and expect to have muscles tomorrow. The same applies to your brain.

If you cram a definition for 2 hours straight, you will forget it by tomorrow. This is scientifically proven as the “Forgetting Curve.”

The fix? Spaced Repetition.

• Day 1: Read and memorize the definition.

• Day 2: Review it (it will take just 5 minutes).

• Day 7: Review it again.

By spacing out your revision, you are telling your brain, “Hey, this information is important, keep it.” Educational platforms like Khan Academy swear by this method for mastering new subjects.

6. Sleep is Part of the Process

You might think pulling a “TDB” (Till Day Break) is the sign of a serious student.

But here is the problem: Your brain processes and stores information while you sleep. If you deny yourself sleep, you are basically clicking “Don’t Save” on the document you just spent all night typing.

Read your definitions, do your active recall, and then get some rest. You will be surprised at how much clearer the information is in the morning.

Final Thoughts

Memorizing isn’t about having a “photographic memory.” It’s about having a strategy.

Stop punishing yourself with mindless cramming. Pick the keywords, teach it to yourself, use acronyms, and test yourself often. You have the capacity to score that A. You just need to trust the process.

Now, go pick up that textbook and try the Keyword Method on the first definition you see. You’ve got this.