it escaped my memory

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "it escaped my memory" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to express that you have forgotten something or that it did not come to mind. Example: "I meant to call you yesterday, but it escaped my memory until it was too late."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

I've been watching sport since my dad first dragged me along to watch Leicester City against Fulham in 1974 and if - in the intervening 34 years - I've experienced a more bizarre day in a sports arena than Saturday in the Taekwondo Hall in Beijing then it's temporarily escaped my memory.

BBC

Mr. Giustra said the meeting "escaped my memory until you raised it".

The New York Times

IBM is suing Papermaster, Papermaster is suing IBM, Apple and Psystar are suing each other, the US is suing LCD makers, Spansion is suing Samsung, and god knows what else just from the last couple weeks has escaped my memory.

TechCrunch

The details of the conversation have escaped my memory, but I know that I encouraged her.

Huffington Post

We were in my favourite bit of Cornwall, above Boscastle - a place to which my family is deeply connected - and we were on our way to some destination that now escapes my memory.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

It escapes the memory of his real Marianne, the one who lived around the corner when they were children in the Bronx, who was his steady girl in high school and to whom he wrote each day during their separation.

The New York Times

Either a series of lawsuits had transformed the stocks into loose holes that you could easily escape from, or my memory had been confused by that shitty weed.

Vice

It seems ridiculous to refrain from spoilers when this story is a chestnut of American history and will end only in a roast turkey, but the details of the Pilgrims crossing what they ate on the Mayflower, how cramped it was, who was born en route and the astronomical cost of the voyage have surely escaped your memory and are in any case thrilling to see rendered in living color.

The New York Times - Arts

The camaraderie was important, as was the experience of flying over the landscape with map in hand, but he never escaped the memory of the destructiveness of their purpose.

The Guardian - Arts

She wrote that he never escaped "the memory of the conscious artifice" that created the Book of Mormon.

Wikipedia

Simply admit that the person's name has "escaped your memory" for the moment; be humble!

WikiHow

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "it escaped my memory" when you want to politely admit you've forgotten something, especially when the information wasn't particularly important or recent.

Common error

Avoid using "it escaped my memory" in very formal or critical situations where a more direct and accountable expression of forgetting is necessary. In professional setting consider a better alternative.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "it escaped my memory" functions as an idiomatic expression used to politely convey that one has forgotten something. As indicated by Ludwig, it's a grammatically sound way to express a lapse in memory. The phrase subtly shifts the focus from personal accountability to a more passive experience of memory failure.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "it escaped my memory" is a grammatically correct and usable expression to indicate forgetting something, as validated by Ludwig. While not extremely frequent in occurrence, it finds use in News & Media contexts. It's considered to be neutral in formality. When writing, remember that while acceptable, "it escaped my memory" may not be best suited for highly formal situations. Consider alternatives if a more direct and accountable tone is necessary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

I forgot

Simple and direct way of saying the information was not remembered.

it slipped my mind

Emphasizes the involuntary nature of forgetting.

I can't recall

Highlights the inability to bring something back to conscious thought.

I don't remember

Basic expression of not retaining information.

it doesn't ring a bell

Suggests a lack of familiarity or recognition.

I have no recollection

A more formal way of saying you don't remember.

it's not coming to me

Indicates an active but unsuccessful attempt to remember.

my memory fails me

Attributes the forgetting to a malfunction of memory.

I'm drawing a blank

Expresses a complete inability to recall anything.

it's on the tip of my tongue

Indicates a feeling of almost remembering but not quite.

FAQs

What does "it escaped my memory" mean?

The phrase "it escaped my memory" means that something has been forgotten or that a piece of information couldn't be recalled at the moment of speaking.

What are some alternative ways to say "it escaped my memory"?

You can use alternatives like "I forgot", "it slipped my mind", or "I can't recall" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "it escaped my memory" in formal writing?

While grammatically correct, "it escaped my memory" is generally considered informal. In formal writing, more direct phrases like "I do not recall" or "I forgot" might be more suitable.

How can I use "it escaped my memory" in a sentence?

You can use "it escaped my memory" to explain that you forgot a detail: "I meant to bring that document, but it slipped my mind" or "The name of the restaurant completely it slipped my mind".