mental block

British

noun

See block

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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

“I’ve got a mental block somewhere in my head that I’m not very good against position players,” Schwarber said.

From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 29, 2025

You also wonder whether there is a mental block against an opponent who a player knows has their number.

From BBC • Apr. 21, 2025

I focused on trying to untangle whatever mental block he had thrown on me.

From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023