mentally ill
Americanadjective
noun
Etymology
Origin of mentally ill
First recorded in 1935–40
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.
A 2020 Rand Corporation study found 61% of the nearly 5,500 mentally ill inmates housed in Los Angeles County at that time were “likely appropriate candidates” for diversion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 18, 2026
Wiseman caused instant controversy with his first film, "Titicut Follies," which remains one of his most famous documentaries, shot in 1967 and capturing the bleak reality of an asylum for the mentally ill, Bridgewater.
From Barron's ● Feb. 16, 2026
“The Housemaid” would be enjoyable enough had Seyfried only been giving a layered performance as a mentally ill housewife.
From Salon ● Jan. 31, 2026
In 1811, Saxony’s king converted it into a model asylum for the mentally ill, and for many years it was.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 24, 2025
The doctor determined that Paul was not mentally ill, and he refused to allow her to be transferred to his facility.
From "Votes for Women!" by Winifred Conkling
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.
