saner; sanest
1
: proceeding from a sound mind : rational
2
: mentally sound
especially : able to anticipate and appraise the effect of one's actions
3
: healthy in body
sanely adverb
saneness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for sane

wise, sage, sapient, judicious, prudent, sensible, sane mean having or showing sound judgment.

wise suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them.

wise beyond his tender years

sage suggests wide experience, great learning, and wisdom.

the sage advice of my father

sapient suggests great sagacity and discernment.

the sapient musings of an old philosopher

judicious stresses a capacity for reaching wise decisions or just conclusions.

judicious parents using kindness and discipline in equal measure

prudent suggests the exercise of restraint guided by sound practical wisdom and discretion.

a prudent decision to wait out the storm

sensible applies to action guided and restrained by good sense and rationality.

a sensible woman who was not fooled by flattery

sane stresses mental soundness, rationality, and levelheadedness.

remained sane even in times of crises

Examples of sane in a Sentence

No sane person could do something so horrible. Leaving was the only sane option she had.
Recent Examples on the Web An entirely sane man would not yell at an enraged 600-pound bull that stands 30 feet in front of him. Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024 A certain wooziness is the only sane response to ‘Beau Travail,’ her stunning film about a group of French Foreign Legion soldiers stationed in Djibouti. Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 In separate parts of a remote location, the contestants try their best to stay safe (and sane) to beat out the competition for the $500,000 prize. Briana Richert, James Mercadante, EW.com, 19 Feb. 2024 This was the week when otherwise sane Republicans, who’d spent months drafting a bipartisan Senate bill that linked major border reforms to more military aid for Ukraine, threw in the towel. Trudy Rubin, Twin Cities, 8 Feb. 2024 In any sane world, the details of this story as reported by Politico, NBC News, and others would require Lloyd Austin’s immediate resignation. The Editors, National Review, 8 Jan. 2024 Jimenez was ruled sane by Superior Court Judge Timothy J. Hollenhorst in December. Summer Lin, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2024 Is sane, routine and traditional a better fit in 2024? Bryce Miller, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024 The children were patient, and the parents were still relatively sane. Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023

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

Word History

Etymology

Latin sanus healthy, sane

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of sane was in 1628

Dictionary Entries Near sane

Cite this Entry

“Sane.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sane. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

sane

adjective
saner; sanest
1
: mentally sound and healthy
2
: proceeding from a sound mind : rational, sensible
sanely adverb
saneness noun

Medical Definition

sane

adjective
saner; sanest
1
: free from hurt or disease : healthy
2
: mentally sound
especially : able to anticipate and appraise the effect of one's actions
3
: proceeding from a sound mind
sane behavior
sanely adverb

Legal Definition

sane

adjective
: mentally sound
specifically : able to understand one's actions and distinguish right from wrong

More from Merriam-Webster on sane

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