mental
/ˈmentl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈmentl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈmen-tᵊl/ (ame, mw)
mental — adjective
- mentalpositive
- more mentalcomparative
- most mentalsuperlative
1. connected with the mind, thoughts, and the ability to think and remember, rather
connected with the mind, thoughts, and the ability to think and remember, rather than with the physical body or feelings
Jiwoo's mental picture of the new apartment was completely different from the real one.
collocation: mental picture
After two hours of mental arithmetic, Tara felt a headache coming on.
collocation: mental arithmetic
Ava made a mental note to bring her umbrella the next morning.
Chess requires a great deal of mental effort and concentration.
The runner pushed through the pain by using mental strength.
- intellectual
focuses more on the ability to reason and understand complex ideas
- cognitive
more technical; relates to the scientific study of thinking and learning
- psychological
broader; includes emotions and behaviour, not just thinking
文法句型
mental + noun (effort, picture, block, arithmetic, note)
用法筆記
Common in fixed collocations such as mental picture, mental note, mental arithmetic, and mental block. The opposite is physical.
常見錯誤
2. extremely lively busy or exciting, especially in a way that feels noisy or overw
extremely lively busy or exciting, especially in a way that feels noisy or overwhelming
The night market was absolutely mental with music and crowds everywhere.
predicative: be + mental
Élise described her weekend in Seoul as a mental, non-stop adventure.
attributive: mental + noun (non-stop)
Putri's birthday party was so mental that the neighbours complained about the noise.
The atmosphere at the football final was mental from the first whistle to the last.
文法句型
be + mental (usually about a place or event)
用法筆記
Primarily used in British English in informal speech. Often describes events, parties, markets, or busy periods. Not suitable for formal writing.
常見錯誤
3. very stupid or unreasonable, in a way that shows poor judgment
very stupid or unreasonable, in a way that shows poor judgment
Selim called it a mental idea to go hiking during a typhoon warning.
Paying five thousand dollars for that old bicycle is completely mental.
pattern: it/that is + mental + infinitive clause
Christopher thought it was mental to quit a secure job without any savings.
João said anyone who would pay that much for a used phone was mental.
- sensible
showing good judgment and reasonable thinking
- reasonable
fair and based on good sense
文法句型
be + mental (about a person, action, or idea)
用法筆記
Strongly negative. Can be offensive if used to describe a person directly (‘He’s mental’). Safer for learners to use stupid or foolish instead.
常見錯誤
4. to suddenly become extremely angry and start shouting or behaving aggressively
to suddenly become extremely angry and start shouting or behaving aggressively
Bilal went mental when he saw the scratches on his new car.
phrasal pattern: go + mental + when-clause
Aunt Rosa went mental after the neighbours' dog dug up her flowerbeds.
Eshe went mental when her landlord raised the rent without any warning.
Ilan went mental over the mess left in the kitchen by his roommates.
- lose one's temper
more formal and less dramatic; suitable for most situations
- hit the roof
informal idiom with similar intensity
- stay calm
to remain composed and not get angry
- keep one's cool
informal; to stay calm under pressure
文法句型
go + mental (about/over something)
用法筆記
Almost always appears in the pattern go mental. Never used attributively (you would not say ‘a mental reaction’ for this sense). The object of anger is introduced by about or over: go mental about the noise.
5. to become suddenly very excited and react in a wildly uncontrolled manner
to become suddenly very excited and react in a wildly uncontrolled manner
The whole crowd went mental when the singer finally walked onto the stage.
phrasal pattern: go + mental (excitement)
The children went mental when their parents announced a trip to Disneyland.
The audience went mental when the band played their very first song.
The puppies went mental when their owner walked through the front door.
- stay calm
to remain composed and not show strong excitement
- keep quiet
to not make noise or show strong emotion
文法句型
go + mental (with excitement/joy)
用法筆記
Closely related to sense 4 but describes excited rather than angry behaviour. Context makes the difference clear — if the trigger is positive (a goal, a surprise), the sense is excitement; if negative (damage, bad news), it is anger.
常見錯誤
6. relating to the condition of a person's mind and the medical or social treatment
relating to the condition of a person's mind and the medical or social treatment of mental illnesses and disorders
Putri has been visiting a mental health centre every week since last spring.
collocation: mental health centre
The government should spend more on mental health services for teenagers.
Ilan's brother works as a nurse in a mental hospital in Taipei.
Many companies now offer free counselling as part of their mental health programme.
- psychological
broader; includes emotional and behavioural aspects, not just illness
- psychiatric
specifically relates to medical diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders
- emotional
focuses on feelings rather than the full range of mental functioning
- physical
relating to the body and bodily health
文法句型
mental + noun (health, illness, hospital, disorder, patient)
用法筆記
In modern usage, terms like mental health condition or mental illness are preferred over older, potentially offensive labels such as mental patient or mental institution, though the latter still appear in news and legal contexts.