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Synonyms

mentally

American  
[men-tl-ee] / ˈmɛn tl i /

adverb

  1. in or with the mind or intellect; intellectually.

  2. with regard to the mind.


Etymology

Origin of mentally

First recorded in 1655–65; mental 1 + -ly


Explanation

Anything that happens mentally is happening in your mind. This adverb refers to brainy activity. If you’re mentally unstable, you need a shrink. Just as the adverb physically relates to the body, mentally relates to the mind. A mentally tough person is strong-willed. If someone is mentally unfit for a job, he doesn't have the brains to carry it out. A crossword puzzle can be a mentally challenging task. In the Star Wars movies, Jedi knights can mentally move objects just by willing it to happen. This word covers all the things that happen in your head.

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Vocabulary lists containing mentally

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.

See Examples For:

But as the vestiges of normal life crumbled around him, he allowed its boundaries to dissolve and found a way to survive, physically and mentally, in a parallel world of his own creation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 6, 2026

But she added they had to "mentally navigate all of these things" when all they "really want to do is stay at home and enjoy being a family for once".

From BBC ● Oct. 31, 2026

While others experience worsening memory and thinking problems, these individuals remain mentally sharp despite signs of the disease in their brains.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 27, 2026

She had a hysterectomy in June and had her endometriosis removed but struggled mentally and physically to return to work as a teaching assistant.

From BBC ● Oct. 25, 2026

“I am not retiring now because I feel unable, mentally or physically, to do the necessary work,” she told the delegates at the meeting.

From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling

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