# mental

/ˈmɛntəɫ/ (US) · /mˈɛntəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mental
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. relating to the mind

adjective · CEFR B1 · Academic

relating to the mind and the process of thinking.

For teachers: relating to the mind or intellectual processes as opposed to physical ones.

- The doctor asked about her mental health as well as her physical symptoms.
- The athlete focused on mental preparation, using visualisation techniques to maintain composure during the high-pressure final.

### 2. done in the mind

adjective · CEFR B1

done in your head without writing anything down.

For teachers: performed or taking place within the mind, especially without external aids.

- She did some quick mental arithmetic to see if she had enough money.
- He made a mental note to call the supplier first thing Monday morning to resolve the shipping discrepancy.

### 3. crazy or wild

adjective · CEFR B2 · British English · Informal

crazy, very strange, or extremely wild.

For teachers: denoting someone or something that is insane, foolish, or extremely chaotic. Informal and often used for emphasis.

- The crowd went mental when the band finally walked onto the stage.
- The traffic in the city centre was absolutely mental during the festival weekend, with cars backed up for miles.

Usage: Often used as a predicative adjective after 'be' or 'go'.

Teaching tip: In British English, this is very common for describing a wild party or a person's strange behaviour, but it can be offensive if used to mock real illness.

### 4. relating to the chin

adjective · CEFR C2 · Technical

relating to the chin or the lower jaw.

For teachers: relating to the chin or the mentum. Non-gradable and used exclusively in medical or biological contexts.

- The dentist gave him an injection near the mental nerve to numb his lower lip.
- The surgeon identified the mental foramen to avoid damaging the nerve during the reconstructive jaw procedure.

Usage: Used in anatomical naming, such as the 'mental nerve' or 'mental foramen'.

### 5. state of mind

noun · CEFR C1 · Slang

your current way of thinking or your mood.

For teachers: a person's state of mind or psychological outlook. Often used in sports or gaming contexts.

- You need to have the right mental to win a championship like this.
- The team's mental completely collapsed after they conceded the second goal in the final minutes.

## Examples

- Playing chess requires a lot of mental effort.
- The athlete focuses on her mental health just as much as her physical training to prepare for the competition.
- Prolonged isolation can cause severe mental fatigue, gradually eroding a person's ability to process complex emotions or maintain focus on demanding tasks.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.