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psychological

American  
[sahy-kuh-loj-i-kuhl] / ˌsaɪ kəˈlɒdʒ ɪ kəl /
Sometimes psychologic

adjective

  1. of or relating to psychology.

  2. pertaining to the mind or to mental phenomena as the subject matter of psychology.

  3. of, pertaining to, dealing with, or affecting the mind, especially as a function of awareness, feeling, or motivation.

    psychological play;

    psychological effect.


psychological British  
/ ˌsaɪkəˈlɒdʒɪkəl /

adjective

  1. of or relating to psychology

  2. of or relating to the mind or mental activity

  3. having no real or objective basis; arising in the mind

    his backaches are all psychological

  4. affecting the mind

"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

Other Word Forms

  • nonpsychologic adjective
  • nonpsychological adjective
  • prepsychological adjective
  • pseudopsychological adjective
  • psychologically adverb
  • semipsychologic adjective
  • semipsychological adjective
  • unpsychological adjective

Etymology

Origin of psychological

First recorded in 1785–95; psycholog(y) + -ical

Compare meaning

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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.

"The focus is entirely on the emotional dynamics between the characters, their vulnerabilities, and their psychological depth," Chicca says.

From BBC

If Labour manage to win, even if only by a smidgen, it will be a huge psychological boost for Sir Keir Starmer after a particularly rough start to 2026 for him.

From BBC

He delights in his mastery of the battlefield, military or civilian, flexing his psychological muscles with a sociopath’s defiant swagger.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s the first time mortgage rates have been below what many consider an important psychological level for home demand since September 2022.

From Barron's

Lenders, real-estate agents and economists say this week’s drop below 6% could mark an important psychological threshold that will likely lure more buyers into the market.

From The Wall Street Journal