cerebral
adjective
ce·re·bral
sə-ˈrē-brəl 
ˈser-ə-
ˈser-ə-
ˈse-rə-
1
a
: of or relating to the brain or the intellect
b
: of, relating to, affecting, or being the cerebrum
cerebral edema
cerebral arteries
2
a
: appealing to intellectual appreciation
cerebral drama
b
: primarily intellectual in nature
a cerebral society
books for cerebral readers
Examples of cerebral in a Sentence
He's a very cerebral comedian.
a very cerebral jurist who has given much thought to what makes our nation's constitution work
Recent Examples on the Web
The Rays have never put an emphasis on getting a lot of offensive production out of a catcher, instead choosing to prioritize good defense and a cerebral approach to calling pitches.
—
John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Feb. 2026
More cerebral than emotive, Shiffrin had not been one to speak her thoughts into existence.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
Three decades ago, Garry Kasparov sat across from IBM’s Deep Blue and discovered that even the most cerebral of games could be unsettled by silicon.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
The heady sensuality of Aїnouz’s best films (Invisible Life, Madame Satã) is somewhat smothered by the cold cerebral mischief of Filippou’s writing.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cerebral
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John Romano, The Orlando Sentinel, 19 Feb. 2026
More cerebral than emotive, Shiffrin had not been one to speak her thoughts into existence.
—Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 18 Feb. 2026
Three decades ago, Garry Kasparov sat across from IBM’s Deep Blue and discovered that even the most cerebral of games could be unsettled by silicon.
—IEEE Spectrum, 18 Feb. 2026
The heady sensuality of Aїnouz’s best films (Invisible Life, Madame Satã) is somewhat smothered by the cold cerebral mischief of Filippou’s writing.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 14 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for cerebral
Cite this Entry
“Cerebral.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cerebral. Accessed 25 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cerebral
adjective
ce·re·bral
sə-ˈrē-brəl
ˈser-ə-
ˈser-ə-
1
: of or relating to the brain
2
: of, relating to, or being the cerebrum
3
: intellectual entry 1 sense 1
a cerebral novel
Medical Definition
cerebral
adjective
ce·re·bral
sə-ˈrē-brəl
ˈser-ə-
ˈser-ə-
1
: of or relating to the brain or the intellect
2
: of, relating to, affecting, or being the cerebrum
cerebral blood flow
cerebral toxoplasmosis
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