Control logic in a memory device initiates a program operation on the memory device, the program operation comprising a program phase, a program recovery phase, a program verify phase, and a program verify recovery phase. The control logic further causes a negative voltage signal to be applied to a first plurality of word lines of a data bock of the memory device during the program verify recovery phase of the program operation, wherein each of the first plurality of word lines is coupled to a corresponding memory cell of a first plurality of memory cells in a string of memory cells in the data block, the first plurality of word lines comprising a selected word line associated with the program operation and one or more data word lines adjacent to the selected word line.