psychological
Americanadjective
-
of or relating to psychology.
-
pertaining to the mind or to mental phenomena as the subject matter of psychology.
-
of, pertaining to, dealing with, or affecting the mind, especially as a function of awareness, feeling, or motivation.
psychological play;
psychological effect.
adjective
-
of or relating to psychology
-
of or relating to the mind or mental activity
-
having no real or objective basis; arising in the mind
his backaches are all psychological
-
affecting the mind
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
How does psychological compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
But “Send Help” is more of a psychological exploration than overt class satire, though it does explore the ridiculous notion of what it would be like to be stranded on an island with your boss.
From Los Angeles Times
The psychological transformation that occurs in women when they become a mother has similar characteristics of adolescence, which is marked by intense vulnerability as well as social and emotional growth.
They are starring alongside each other in Crime 101, a tense thriller that swaps superhero spectacle for a game of psychological cat and mouse.
From BBC
Before it was even known as behavioural science, companies were using the psychological tools it taps into to shape our choices.
From BBC
"As clinicians, we see the negative impact this has on women's physical and psychological well-being, and the impact on their families and wider society," he said.
From BBC
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.