mention
Americanverb (used with object)
-
to refer briefly to; name, specify, or speak of.
Don't forget to mention her contribution to the project.
- Synonyms:
- indicate
-
to cite formally for a meritorious act or achievement.
He was mentioned in dispatches from the war zone.
noun
idioms
verb
-
to refer to or speak about briefly or incidentally
-
to acknowledge or honour
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to say nothing of something too obvious to mention
noun
-
a recognition or acknowledgment
-
a slight reference or allusion
he only got a mention in the article
the author makes no mention of that
-
the act of mentioning
-
philosophy logic linguistics the occurrence (of an expression) in such a context that it is itself referred to rather than performing its own linguistic function. In " Fido " names Fido, the word Fido is first mentioned and then used to refer to the dog Compare use See also formal mode
-
a preliminary hearing in a court of law
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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rementionverb (used with object)
-
unmentionedadjective
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undermentionedadjective
-
intermentionverb
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prementionnoun
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mentionableadjective
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mentionernoun
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
have mentionedperfect
-
has mentionedperfect 3rd person singular
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have been mentioningperfect progressive
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has been mentioningperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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are mentioningprogressive
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am mentioningprogressive 1st person singular
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mentionssingular 3rd person
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is mentioningprogressive 3rd person singular
-
mentioningparticiple
Past
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had mentionedperfect
-
were mentioningprogressive plural
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mentionedparticiple
-
had been mentioningperfect progressive
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was mentioningprogressive singular
-
mentionedsimple
Future
Etymology
Origin of mention
First recorded in 1250–1300; from Latin mentiōn-, stem of mentiō, literally, “a calling to mind, a touching upon” ( see mental 1, -ion); replacing Middle English mencioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin, as above
Explanation
To mention something is to bring it up. If your mother embarrasses you by constantly mentioning your stuffed animal that you've been sleeping with for the past 15 years, you might mention it to her. In the context of awards, an "honorable mention" is an official recognition but not a prize. If you enter a writing competition, the judges might not think your piece is the best, but they might mention, or briefly say, that it came very close to winning.
Vocabulary lists containing mention
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 6
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The Language of Standardized Tests, List 4
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The New SAT: The Language of the Test
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
All along, the moment shows, capable thinkers have still been able to find doors into the mainstream media, not to mention doors to new kinds of visibility via YouTube, X and Substack.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 9, 2026
"Transporting a stone of this size over such a long distance would have required planning, coordination and a deep understanding of the landscape -- not to mention tremendous determination," Dr. Clarke said.
From Science Daily • Jun. 9, 2026
Part of the problem was the sheer enormity of the initial outbreak, which quickly strained available stocks of tests, medications, and PPE, not to mention hospital beds and healthcare workers’ time.
From Slate • Jun. 9, 2026
Last year's summit in Brazil ended with a modest pact that failed to explicitly mention fossil fuels and many nations fear a repeat unless stronger leadership is shown.
From Barron's • Jun. 8, 2026
Curl up on your couch with an overripe banana and forget you ever heard mention of this tale.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
