psychological
Americanadjective
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of or relating to psychology.
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pertaining to the mind or to mental phenomena as the subject matter of psychology.
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of, pertaining to, dealing with, or affecting the mind, especially as a function of awareness, feeling, or motivation.
psychological play;
psychological effect.
adjective
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of or relating to psychology
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of or relating to the mind or mental activity
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having no real or objective basis; arising in the mind
his backaches are all psychological
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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
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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 difference between $3.98 per gallon and $4.02 per gallon is minimal in practice, but the jump is a bit of a psychological barrier for consumers that could weigh on optimism and spending.
From Barron's • Mar. 31, 2026
These measures, enacted by more than half the states, shielded children from a discredited and abusive practice that fails to achieve its aims while inflicting serious, lasting psychological harms.
From Slate • Mar. 31, 2026
Burden has been surprised by the overwhelming resonance of her book, and the universality of the emotional and psychological pain she endured in her marriage.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 31, 2026
The $4-a-gallon level will likely have a psychological effect on consumers, with ever-rising gas prices likely forcing some households to drive — and consume — less.
From MarketWatch • Mar. 29, 2026
Mozart, as well as being intrigued by the hidden curiosities and mystical secrets of Freemasonry, unashamedly celebrated in The Magic Flute, was fascinated by the supernatural, and by what we would call psychological motive.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
