Plain English Meaning
It is the part of your mind that holds the few things you are actively thinking about right now and lets you work with them. It is small, fades quickly, and gets overloaded easily.
Full Definition
Working memory is the active, limited-capacity mental workspace where a person temporarily holds and manipulates information needed for immediate tasks, such as reasoning, problem-solving, or following instructions. It is closely linked to short-term memory but emphasizes the active processing of information rather than just holding it briefly.
Context Anchor
Seen in aviation instructor discussions about how students receive, hold, and use information during training tasks.
Derivation
‘Working’ here means actively in use, not stored away. The term highlights that this memory is not a passive shelf — it is the mental desk where information is being handled in the moment.