cognitive
adjective
cog·ni·tive
ˈkäg-nə-tiv 
1
: of, relating to, being, or involving conscious intellectual activity (such as thinking, reasoning, or remembering)
cognitive impairment
cognitive tests
2
philosophy
: based on or capable of being reduced to empirical factual knowledge
cognitively
adverb
Examples of cognitive in a Sentence
The best toys for toddlers engage their interests while developing their fine motor, gross motor, cognitive, and social skills.
—
Ashley Ziegler and Katrina Cossey, Parents, 12 Nov. 2024
Homo sapiens' survival is founded in their filling an evolutionary niche referred to as the cognitive niche.
—Daniel Grassam, Skeptical Inquirer, July/August 2001
Researchers are debating whether heading balls can dent the cognitive skills of young soccer players for life.
—Lisa McLaughlin, Time, 5 June 2000
Ashley Ziegler and Katrina Cossey, Parents, 12 Nov. 2024
Homo sapiens' survival is founded in their filling an evolutionary niche referred to as the cognitive niche.
—Daniel Grassam, Skeptical Inquirer, July/August 2001
Researchers are debating whether heading balls can dent the cognitive skills of young soccer players for life.
—Lisa McLaughlin, Time, 5 June 2000
Recent Examples on the Web
Even a 2% drop in your hydration levels could impair your cognitive function, according to a 2012 study published in the Journal of the American College of Nutrition.
—Megan Sauer, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025
Research has also showed that engaging the brain in new ways builds cognitive reserve, which is how the brain can maintain its functioning in the face of aging, damage or early stages of disease.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
And so to me, that flexibility, that cognitive flexibility, is absolutely key.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025
During perimenopause, the decline in estrogen —which Noble explains as not just a hormone, but a neuroendocrine transmitter that helps the brain stay alert and energized—triggers the brain fog and can affect a variety of cognitive functions depending on the individual.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cognitive
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Megan Sauer, CNBC, 14 Oct. 2025
Research has also showed that engaging the brain in new ways builds cognitive reserve, which is how the brain can maintain its functioning in the face of aging, damage or early stages of disease.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 14 Oct. 2025
And so to me, that flexibility, that cognitive flexibility, is absolutely key.
—Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025
During perimenopause, the decline in estrogen —which Noble explains as not just a hormone, but a neuroendocrine transmitter that helps the brain stay alert and energized—triggers the brain fog and can affect a variety of cognitive functions depending on the individual.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 14 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cognitive
Cite this Entry
“Cognitive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cognitive. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cognitive
adjective
cog·ni·tive
ˈkäg-nət-iv
: of, relating to, or being conscious mental activities (as thinking, reasoning, remembering, imagining, learning words, and using language)
Medical Definition
cognitive
adjective
cog·ni·tive
ˈkäg-nət-iv
: of, relating to, or being conscious intellectual activity (as thinking, reasoning, remembering, imagining, or learning words)
the cognitive elements of perception—C. H. Hamburg
C. H. Hamburg
cognitively
adverb
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