psychological

adjective

psy·​cho·​log·​i·​cal ˌsī-kə-ˈlä-ji-kəl How to pronounce psychological (audio)
variants or less commonly psychologic
1
a
: of or relating to psychology
psychological research
b
: of, relating to, or occurring in the mind : mental
psychological distress
psychological disorders
2
: directed toward, influencing, or acting on the mind especially in relation to an individual's willpower or behavioral motivation
psychological warfare
psychological strategies
psychologically adverb
Since losing its Winston Cup [NASCAR] races, the town of North Wilkesboro has suffered economically and psychologically. Derek H. Alderman et al.
To gas light is to psychologically manipulate a person to the point where they question their own sanity … Lauren Duca

Examples of psychological in a Sentence

a psychological rather than a physical condition suffered from psychological disorders all of his life
Recent Examples on the Web Individuals who reported a history of government surveillance describe higher rates of psychological distress, studies show. Eli Cahan, Rolling Stone, 7 Mar. 2024 Kirsten Dunst-starring A24 psychological horror Woodshock, which they were partly inspired to make after working on costumes for Darren Aronofsky’s Black Swan. Liam Hess, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2024 Days later, someone found her sister alive, wandering the streets, appearing to be in extreme psychological distress. Claire Porter Robbins, The New Yorker, 5 Mar. 2024 Underlying emotional and/or psychological stress can cause labor to stall or slow down. Parents Editors, Parents, 4 Mar. 2024 Amy Edmondson has emphasized the importance of psychological safety in enabling teams to take risks and drive innovation. Rosalba Carandente, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 The Red Cross was one of several non-governmental organizations pitching tents and offering hot drinks, blankets, soup, as well as psychological and other assistance to the residents of the block that was hit. Ivana Kottasová, CNN, 1 Mar. 2024 In the psychological family melodrama Brothers, Gyllenhaal plays Tommy, an ex-con who takes care of his sister-in-law Grace (Natalie Portman) after his brother Sam (Tobey Maguire) goes missing in action in Afghanistan. Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 29 Feb. 2024 Was there any special psychological or other support to ensure a safe and free space for all the creatives? Georg Szalai, The Hollywood Reporter, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'psychological.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Time Traveler
The first known use of psychological was circa 1787

Dictionary Entries Near psychological

Cite this Entry

“Psychological.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychological. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

psychological

adjective
psy·​cho·​log·​i·​cal ˌsī-kə-ˈläj-i-kəl How to pronounce psychological (audio)
variants also psychologic
1
a
: of or relating to psychology
2
: meant to influence the will or mind
psychologically adverb

Medical Definition

psychological

adjective
psy·​cho·​log·​i·​cal ˌsī-kə-ˈläj-i-kəl How to pronounce psychological (audio)
variants also psychologic
1
a
: relating to, characteristic of, directed toward, influencing, arising in, or acting through the mind especially in its affective or cognitive functions
psychological phenomena
the psychological aspects of a problem
b
: directed toward, influencing, or acting on the mind especially in relation to an individual's willpower or behavioral motivation
psychological warfare
2
: relating to, concerned with, deriving from, or used in psychology
psychological research
psychological tests
a psychological clinic
psychologically
adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on psychological

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!