sane
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
having a healthy mind and being able to think in a normal, balanced way.
possessing a sound and rational mind; mentally healthy and capable of anticipating the consequences of one's actions.
Simple“In the middle of all the chaos, she was the only one who stayed sane.”
In context“The psychiatrist testified that the defendant was perfectly sane at the time the crime was committed, understanding the full gravity of his actions.”
UsageOften used in the phrase 'keep someone sane' to describe maintaining mental balance during stress.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
showing good judgment; being sensible and practical.
characterised by sound judgment, reason, or good sense; often used to describe policies, decisions, or environments.
Simple“It seems like a sane decision to save some money for emergencies.”
In context“The new management introduced a sane working hours policy, which significantly reduced staff burnout and improved overall productivity.”
SynonymsAntonyms
Learned borrowing from Latin sānus (“healthy; sane”). Doublet of sound.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.