mental

1 of 2

adjective (1)

men·​tal ˈmen-tᵊl How to pronounce mental (audio)
Synonyms of mental
1
a
: of or relating to the mind
specifically : of or relating to the total emotional and intellectual response of an individual to external reality
mental health
b
: of or relating to intellectual as contrasted with emotional activity
mental acuity
c
: of, relating to, or being intellectual as contrasted with overt physical activity
made quick mental calculations
d
: occurring or experienced in the mind : inner
mental anguish
a mental breakdown
e
: relating to the mind, its activity, or its products as an object of study : ideological
mental science
f
: relating to spirit or idea as opposed to matter
… the distinction between physical things and mental ideas.—John W. Yolton
2
a(1)
often offensive : of, relating to, or affected by a psychiatric disorder
a mental patient
(2)
sometimes offensive : mentally unsound : mad, crazy
… was going a bit mental from old age …—Nevil Shute
—not used technically
b
sometimes offensive : intended for the care or treatment of persons affected by psychiatric disorders
mental hospitals
3
: of or relating to telepathic or mind-reading powers
mental telepathy

mental

2 of 2

adjective (2)

: of or relating to the chin : genial

Synonyms of mental

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Adjective (1)

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Examples of mental in a Sentence

Adjective (1) a funny mental image made him laugh out loud humane treatment of mental patients
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.
Adjective
The mental toll that comes with Ebola Losing relatives to disease outbreaks is always difficult, but responders say grief can be especially severe with Ebola in a country where the disease is viewed by many as evil due to rumors and misconceptions. — Constant Same Bagalwa, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2026 Their alluring quality belies their extreme toxicity; at times used as a hallucinogen, their ingestion can cause severe mental confusion and even death. — Tatiane De Assis, ARTnews.com, 21 Oct. 2026 For the United States, understanding Russia’s new mental map will not only be crucial to any attempt to find an off-ramp with Moscow. — Dmitry Adamsky, Foreign Affairs, 21 Oct. 2026 Within 36 hours one of the prisoners had an apparent mental breakdown, and on the second day the inmates staged a rebellion. — Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 21 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for mental

Word History

Etymology

Adjective (1)

Middle English, from Late Latin mentalis, from Latin ment-, mens mind — more at mind

Adjective (2)

Latin mentum "chin" + -al entry 1 — more at mouth entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective (1)

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Adjective (2)

circa 1727, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mental was in the 15th century

Phrases Containing mental

Rhymes for mental

See All Rhymes for mental

Browse Nearby Words

-ment
mental
mental age
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Cite this Entry

“Mental.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mental. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

mental

adjective
men·​tal
ˈment-ᵊl
1
a
: of or relating to the mind
mental powers
mental health
b
: carried on in the mind
mental arithmetic
c
: occurring or experienced in the mind
mental anguish
a mental breakdown
2
sometimes offensive : intended for the care of persons affected by mental illnesses
mental hospitals
mentally
-ᵊl-ē
adverb

Medical Definition

mental

1 of 2 adjective
men·​tal ˈment-ᵊl How to pronounce mental (audio)
1
a
: of or relating to the mind
specifically : of or relating to the total emotional and intellectual response of an individual to external reality
b
: of or relating to intellectual as contrasted with emotional activity
2
a
often offensive : of, relating to, or affected by a psychiatric disorder
a mental patient
b
sometimes offensive : intended for the care or treatment of persons affected by psychiatric disorders
mental hospitals
mentally
-ᵊl-ē How to pronounce mental (audio)
adverb

mental

2 of 2 adjective
: of or relating to the chin : genial
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