mental block
Britishnoun
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.
But she suffered the "twisties" -- a mental block triggered by stress or anxiety -- and withdrew from events to prioritise her mental health.
From Barron's ● Feb. 18, 2026
After losing to Ostapenko in Stuttgart last season, Swiatek disputed she had a mental block, saying her head "was much more clear" than previous matches.
From BBC ● Jan. 22, 2026
Back in 2008, Page experienced a similar mental block where she "got lost in a skill", triggered by what she said was a lack of confidence in her ability.
From BBC ● Aug. 2, 2024
Biles, struggling with a mental block that prevented her from being able to control her body in the air, cheered from the mostly empty stands in Tokyo.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2024
“I won’t mention that misguided trip to Baton Rouge. That incident, I believe, caused me to form a mental block against working.”
From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole
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.
