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cognitive development

American  

noun

  1. the process of acquiring intelligence and increasingly advanced thought and problem-solving ability from infancy to adulthood.


cognitive development Cultural  
  1. The growth of a person's ability to learn.


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.

Poor sleep can influence emotional regulation, cognitive development, and overall health.

From Science Daily • Mar. 15, 2026

He’s legitimizing its use as psychological scaffolding, which allows a person’s cognitive development to be left perpetually unfinished.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 2, 2026

This includes reduced rates of food insecurity and infant mortality, fewer premature births, and improved cognitive development in young children.

From Salon • Oct. 15, 2024

“The mixture of emissions has been linked to poor birth outcomes, reduced lung and cognitive development, development and worsening of chronic respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, and increased risk of dementia, cancer and premature death.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 29, 2024

For the student, music not only strengthens emotional and cognitive development, but also allows a new outlet of expression, and a new means of learning through listening and making sound.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin