cognitive

adjective

cog·​ni·​tive ˈkäg-nə-tiv How to pronounce cognitive (audio)
Synonyms of cognitivenext
1
: of, relating to, being, or involving conscious intellectual activity (such as thinking, reasoning, or remembering)
cognitive development
Mild cognitive impairment … involves a decline in mental acuity that is noticeable but not severe enough to be diagnosed as dementia.—Nicholas Bakalar
… researchers kept people just slightly sleep deprived … and watched the subjects' performance on cognitive tests plummet.—James Hamblin
2
philosophy : based on or capable of being reduced to empirical factual knowledge
debate whether normative statements can be cognitive
cognitively adverb

Examples of cognitive in a Sentence

The best toys for toddlers engage their interests while developing their fine motor, gross motor, cognitive, and social skills. —Ashley Ziegler and Katrina Cossey, Parents, 12 Nov. 2024
Homo sapiens' survival is founded in their filling an evolutionary niche referred to as the cognitive niche. —Daniel Grassam, Skeptical Inquirer, July/August 2001
Researchers are debating whether heading balls can dent the cognitive skills of young soccer players for life. —Lisa McLaughlin, Time, 5 June 2000
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The episode has no link to Alzheimer’s, dementia or other more lasting cognitive declines. — David K. Li, NBC news, 8 July 2026 By far, the substantial supervision test, the cognitive impairment prong, is the most common pathway. — James Lange, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026 Could the generations growing up with their brains hooked to endless video feeds be developing some kind of novel, as-yet-undetectable cognitive brilliance? — Rose Horowitch, The Atlantic, 8 July 2026 Consumers have cognitive biases that can sometimes encourage companies to pursue annoying practices. — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for cognitive

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Medieval Latin cognitīvus "concerned with knowing," from Latin cognitus, past participle of cognōscere "to get to know, acquire knowledge of" + -īvus -ive — more at cognition

First Known Use

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of cognitive was in 1586

Phrases Containing cognitive

Rhymes for cognitive

See All Rhymes for cognitive

Browse Nearby Words

cognitional
cognitive
cognitive behavioral therapy
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Cognitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cognitive. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

cognitive

adjective
cog·​ni·​tive ˈkäg-nət-iv How to pronounce cognitive (audio)
: of, relating to, or being conscious mental activities (as thinking, reasoning, remembering, imagining, learning words, and using language)

Medical Definition

cognitive

adjective
cog·​ni·​tive ˈkäg-nət-iv How to pronounce cognitive (audio)
: of, relating to, or being conscious intellectual activity (as thinking, reasoning, remembering, imagining, or learning words)
the cognitive elements of perception—C. H. Hamburg
cognitively adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on cognitive

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for cognitive

Nglish: Translation of cognitive for Spanish Speakers

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