mention
Americanverb (used with object)
-
mentions,
present (3rd person singular)
-
mentioned,
past participle, past
-
mentioning
present participle
-
to refer briefly to; name, specify, or speak of.
Don't forget to mention her contribution to the project.
- Synonyms:
- indicate
-
to cite formally for a meritorious act or achievement.
He was mentioned in dispatches from the war zone.
noun
-
mentions
plural
idioms
verb
-
to refer to or speak about briefly or incidentally
-
to acknowledge or honour
-
to say nothing of something too obvious to mention
noun
-
a recognition or acknowledgment
-
a slight reference or allusion
he only got a mention in the article
the author makes no mention of that
-
the act of mentioning
-
philosophy logic linguistics the occurrence (of an expression) in such a context that it is itself referred to rather than performing its own linguistic function. In " Fido " names Fido, the word Fido is first mentioned and then used to refer to the dog Compare use See also formal mode
-
a preliminary hearing in a court of law
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
-
mentionernoun
-
prementionnoun
-
intermentionverb
-
rementionverb (used with object)
-
mentionableadjective
-
undermentionedadjective
-
unmentionedadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
mentionsimple
-
mentionssimple
-
have mentionedperfect
-
has mentionedperfect
-
am mentioningprogressive
-
are mentioningprogressive
-
is mentioningprogressive
-
have been mentioningperfect progressive
-
has been mentioningperfect progressive
Past
-
mentionedsimple
-
had mentionedperfect
-
was mentioningprogressive
-
were mentioningprogressive
-
had been mentioningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of mention
First recorded in 1250–1300; from Latin mentiōn-, stem of mentiō, literally, “a calling to mind, a touching upon” ( see mental 1, -ion); replacing Middle English mencioun, from Anglo-French, from Latin, as above
Explanation
To mention something is to bring it up. If your mother embarrasses you by constantly mentioning your stuffed animal that you've been sleeping with for the past 15 years, you might mention it to her. In the context of awards, an "honorable mention" is an official recognition but not a prize. If you enter a writing competition, the judges might not think your piece is the best, but they might mention, or briefly say, that it came very close to winning.
Vocabulary lists containing mention
The SAT: Language of the Test, List 6
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
The Language of Standardized Tests, List 4
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The New SAT: The Language of the Test
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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:
It made no mention of feed or fishmeal.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 9, 2026
Rubio's statement did not mention Pillay or the Nobel award.
From Barron's ● Oct. 9, 2026
Some of the recorded messages mention an offer of part-time work.
From BBC ● Oct. 8, 2026
Not to mention that there is constant information about new stimuli that bring increased health risks, whether it be food recalls or the many warnings about being on that damn phone.
From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2026
“Oh, I guess I didn’t mention that. We’ll be brief. Quick, tell me everything!”
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
As we walk down the cobblestone street of the Grove, Matt mentions that he is looking forward to meeting people at his best friend’s wedding.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
Hourly mentions of AI more than doubled from August to September on both left- and right-leaning shows, a Journal analysis of more than 200 shows found.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 1, 2026
Randolph mentions eastern Mali, Togo, Guinea-Bissau and Burkina Faso but Benin, situated between Nigeria and Togo, is of particular interest for the way the country has invested federation grants in football infrastructure and pitches.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2026
DataTrek co-founder Nicholas Colas took a look at FactSet’s recent analysis of mentions of AI during corporate earnings calls.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 21, 2026
“In one of them he mentions getting a new game console for Christmas.”
From "The Stars Beneath Our Feet" by David Barclay Moore
While making small talk with series star and creator Rob Mac in the event’s green room, Sepinwall casually mentioned he was writing about Rod Serling, creator of “The Twilight Zone.”
From Salon ● Oct. 10, 2026
In one of Transluce’s simulated conversations, the test account mentioned hearing and physically feeling a strange tone.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 10, 2026
You mentioned people who don’t work for the government getting in on the grift, too?
From Slate ● Oct. 8, 2026
Rubio, often mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2028, touched on what he considered dangers in the world, such as "radical mullahs" in Iran and suicide bombers.
From BBC ● Oct. 7, 2026
“You know, you’re the inspiration for this. The company who sent the trees mentioned seeing that a local kid was donating profits from his chicken coop sales to rebuild the picnic area.”
From "Wayward Creatures" by Dayna Lorentz
"WHO has requested further information to clarify the cause of the severe pneumonia," WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said Wednesday, mentioning "media reports of a second employee with pneumonia of undetermined cause".
From Barron's ● Oct. 7, 2026
“We do not need to avoid mentioning competition, but our competition should be a healthy one, and should be kept within bounds,” the Chinese president said Thursday from the Cross Hall of the White House.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
I can’t tell you how many conversations I’ve had where someone says, “Even mentioning this can stir up fear and doubt.”
From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026
The novelist declines to honor the man by mentioning his name, instead referring to him merely as “the A.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 17, 2026
Still nervous, still upset by his reaction to my mentioning the bathroom invasions, I asked, “The tape?”
From "Silent To The Bone" by E.L. Konigsburg
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.
