Word
mentally
Phoneticsmen·tal·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈmɛnəɫi/
UK/mˈɛntəli/
Adverb of manner
Definition
adv. connected to your mind and how you think. You use this to describe things that happen inside your head rather than in your body.
adv. relating to the mind or intellectual capacity. Often used to distinguish cognitive processes from physical or emotional ones.
Examples
“He is mentally exhausted after the long exam.”
“The athlete prepares for the race by mentally visualizing every turn of the track before the starting whistle blows.”
“While the physical injuries healed within weeks, the trauma left him mentally drained, requiring months of quiet reflection to regain his former confidence.”
Examples
simple
“He is mentally exhausted after the long exam.”
contextual
“The athlete prepares for the race by mentally visualizing every turn of the track before the starting whistle blows.”
complex
“While the physical injuries healed within weeks, the trauma left him mentally drained, requiring months of quiet reflection to regain his former confidence.”
Usage
Typically placed before the adjective it modifies or after the verb.
Pitfall
He is mental tired
He is mentally tired
Learners often use the adjective 'mental' instead of the adverb 'mentally' to modify another adjective.
Etymology
From mental + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- B1 · Intermediate
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/mentally