mental health

noun

1

: the condition of being sound mentally and emotionally that is characterized by the absence of mental illness and by adequate adjustment especially as reflected in feeling comfortable about oneself, positive feelings about others, and the ability to meet the demands of daily life

also : the general condition of one's mental and emotional state

2

: health care dealing with the promotion and improvement of mental health and the treatment of mental illness

—often used before another noun

mental health professionals

a mental health clinic

Examples of mental health in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

WellSpace Health broke ground on a Stockton Boulevard campus Tuesday, promising new mental health services for the region and filling a large office complex that has remained vacant since its construction more than 15 years ago. —Annika Merrilees, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2026

Yearning to light some tech on fire is a relatable feeling these days, as generative artificial intelligence promises to supplant nearly every form of non-physical labor, social media wreaks havoc on the mental health of young people, and massive data centers loom as environmental blights. —Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 8 Apr. 2026

Google will donate $30 million to mental health hotlines and its Gemini bot will be updated to better respond to people in mental health crisis, the company announced Tuesday — five weeks after a South Florida father sued the AI giant over his son’s suicide. —Brittany Wallman, Sun Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026

The lawsuit alleged that the officer, Gabriel Anthony Espadas, detained the woman on a mental health hold after responding to a call for service in the San Fernando Valley. —Richard Winton, Los Angeles Times, 8 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1650, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mental health

• commonwealth
• telehealth
• bridewealth
• stealth
• wealth

Medical Definition

mental health

noun

1

: the condition of being sound mentally and emotionally that is characterized by the absence of mental illness and by adequate adjustment especially as reflected in feeling comfortable about oneself, having positive feelings about others, and being able to meet the demands of daily life

also : the general condition of one's mental and emotional state

Finding the flexibility and balance that is required for good mental health is a challenge we all face.

—Christy Turlington, Psychology Today

2

: health care dealing with the promotion and improvement of mental health and the treatment of mental illness : mental hygiene

—often used before another noun

mental health professionals

a mental health clinic