What is the term used to describe the temporary inability to remember something, often with a feeling that it's just out of reach?

The term that describes the temporary inability to remember something, coupled with the sensation that the information is just beyond reach, is the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon. This phenomenon is characterized by a strong feeling of knowing, combined with the frustrating experience of not being able to retrieve the information at that moment.

In contrast to other terms, such as amnesia, which refers to a more significant and often longer-term memory loss due to various causes (e.g., trauma, disease), the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon is a common, transient memory lapse experienced by many people. It specifically refers to instances where one is unable to recall a name, word, or information that seems momentarily inaccessible, even though the individual feels that retrieval is imminent.

Recall failure refers to a broader category of forgetting that can occur without the specific sensation of being on the verge of recall. Similarly, memory block encompasses various forms of impediments to memory retrieval but does not capture the emotional experience commonly associated with the tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon.