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.
It began with small accounts on social media speculating or claiming that Talarico was out not because he was physically ill but because he was mentally ill.
From Slate ● Oct. 16, 2026
"The only thing we knew about my medical history is my biological mom was mentally ill, and had depression."
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
The three daughters called their mother mentally ill; Allan did not.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 5, 2026
She’s not only coaching the mentally ill Freddie but she’s also his romantic partner.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 22, 2026
In fact, there are more than three times the number of seriously mentally ill individuals in jail or prison than in hospitals; in some states that number is ten times.
From "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.