free from mental derangement; having a sound, healthy mind.
a sane person.
having or showing reason, sound judgment, or good sense.
sane advice.
sound; healthy.
sound in mind; free from mental disturbance
having or showing reason, good judgment, or sound sense
obsolete healthy
First recorded in 1620–30, sane is from the Latin word sānus healthy
Official shortening of its byname Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy
A sane person doesn't have any screws loose — in other words, they're free of mental illness and in a reasonable state of mind. You probably know that the word insane means crazy. Well, the opposite of insane is sane — or not crazy. A sane person is of sound mind and is mentally healthy. Sane people have good judgment, are reasonable, and can tell the difference between what's real and imagined. Whenever someone commits a crime or does something totally outlandish, people usually wonder if they're sane or not.
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Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Yet this time the VAR, Joe Dickerson, stepped in to tell the referee to cancel the penalty for a foul on the halfway line by Leroy Sane on Vite.
From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026
As a title, “The Sane One” is intended to be tongue-in-cheek.
From Los Angeles Times • May 5, 2026
Sane wash his words we must, because no matter how unhinged or infantile, the world’s safety, fortunes and future are inextricably tied to America’s next move, and therefore to his next move.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 15, 2026
Osimhen appeared to fall awkwardly following a challenge with Konate in the eighth minute, but he played on until he was replaced by Leroy Sane at the break.
From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026
"Sane optimism, an appreciation of the beautiful and a delicate humor pervades the book which is one for lovers of real literature to enjoy."
From The Whole Armour of God by Jowett, John Henry
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.
