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Is there a word (or short phrase) that describes the sinking feeling that one is forgetting something, but but doesn't know what the "something" is?

For example, I'm looking for a word that describes the following feeling: Leaving to go on holiday, and two hours into your journey you feel sure you have left something important at home but just can't think what it is.

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  • Dejecta memora: The sadness caused by serial senior moments: Origin: a corruption of disjecta membra from the Latin scattered fragments ;-)
    – ScotM
    Commented Feb 17, 2015 at 8:17
  • Do you mean: 1) Not being able to remember the name of a restaurant you visited a year ago? 2) Leaving to go on holiday, and two hours into your journey you feel sure you have left something important at home but just can't think what it is? 3) Not being able to remember your husband/wife's name? Or not being able to remember where you live? 4) Something else?
    – WS2
    Commented Feb 17, 2015 at 8:27
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    @WS2 - Excellent clarification. I'm looking more for (2) - "Leaving to go on holiday, and two hours into your journey you feel sure you have left something important at home but just can't think what it is"
    – zashu
    Commented Feb 17, 2015 at 8:31
  • @zashu I'm glad I've helped clarify. I don't know that I can help you with a word to describe this. It is something which sometimes happens to me (has done all my life, so it is not due to seniority!). Sometimes it turns out I have forgotten something, other times it doesn't. Whilst one is in a state of uncertainty about it I guess one feels slightly insecure.
    – WS2
    Commented Feb 17, 2015 at 9:06
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    I call it feeling like you're forgetting something.
    – Hot Licks
    Commented Dec 25, 2015 at 23:20

5 Answers 5

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Would a "nagging feeling" or "lingering doubt" suit your purpose?

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Probably a feeling of annoyance:

  • the psychological state of being irritated or annoyed

or a sense of temporary frustration:

  • a feeling of dissatisfaction resulting from unfulfilled needs or unresolved problems.

Access to information is now founded on "random axes", like the Wikipedia site. We're all quite familiar with the sense of frustration we feel when we look for something that won't come to mind, and the sense of relief ensured by search engines ...

(TFD)

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  • Thanks for the reply! However, I'm looking for something more focused on the forgetting aspect... assuming such a word even exists ;)
    – zashu
    Commented Feb 17, 2015 at 8:30
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If it fits your need, you can go for disremember.

Or even the phrase fail to recall might work great depending on your context.

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It happens to me every single time I go somewhere or I leave, I have this crushing feeling in my chest that I have forgot something really important, even if I check the place I still have it.I made a research and I found a little connection with HYPER VIGILANCE...

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    – user140086
    Commented Dec 26, 2015 at 3:38
  • Please write an answer when you choose to answer a question.
    – kettlecrab
    Commented Mar 25, 2018 at 21:07
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Sometimes one speaks of a senior moment, as defined here

a temporary mental lapse (humorously attributed to the gradual loss of one's mental faculties as one grows older).

Example: "Oops, I think I forgot to lock the back door. Senior moment!"

Or, more to the OP: "I know I forgot something. My slippers? the Swiss army knife? My hair dryer? Too many senior moments lately!"

This phrase does not yet need a euphemism, but better not to use in the company of someone who really does have dementia, or their caregiver.

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