mentally

adverb

men·​tal·​ly ˈmen-tᵊl-ē 

1

: in the mind

Mentally he promised himself that he would never again use a collar on any living creature.

—Brian Jacques

: using the mind

able to mentally calculate large sums

2

: with regard to the mind or its capacity

physically and mentally healthy people

a mentally competent adult

a mentally challenging activity

… if you try to hide the fact that you feel mentally inadequate, and so go around making jokes about your own dullness and acting as if it didn't bother you at all …

—David Foster Wallace

I felt too hungry and tired and mentally overloaded to ask any more questions.

—Rick Riordan

Examples of mentally in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But this came at a high cost – physically and mentally. —Thania Garcia, Variety, 6 Feb. 2025

Nonetheless, unfounded characterizations of transgender people as terrorists, groomers or mentally unwell have accelerated in recent years, as have state and federal policies aimed at restricting trans rights. —Odette Yousef, NPR, 6 Feb. 2025

Nelson also was accused of using a blanket to strangle a mentally ill inmate on their cellblock at the Tarrant County Jail while awaiting trial. —Emerson Clarridge, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 6 Feb. 2025

While on The Drew Barrymore Show on Monday, Feb. 3, the One Day at a Time actress, 64, admitted that despite being physically present in the '80s, she was mentally checked out during that time. —Angel Saunders, People.com, 5 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mentally

• mentally retarded