mention

1 of 2

noun

men·​tion ˈmen(t)-shən How to pronounce mention (audio)
1
: the act or an instance of citing or calling attention to someone or something especially in a casual or incidental manner
There was hardly a mention of the plan's possible dangers.
2
: formal citation (see citation sense 3) for outstanding achievement
The journalist received special mention for her reportage on the recent advances in cancer research.

mention

2 of 2

verb

mentioned; mentioning ˈmen(t)-sh(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce mention (audio)

transitive verb

: to make mention of : refer to
also : to cite for outstanding achievement
mentionable adjective
mentioner noun
Phrases
not to mention
: not even yet counting or considering : and notably in addition
a proposal that's risky and expensive, not to mention unethical

Example Sentences

Noun In her speech, she carefully avoided any mention of her costar. There was barely a mention of the plan's possible dangers. The mere mention of blood makes me ill. I get nervous at the mention of his name. Her contributions deserve a mention. One other issue deserves special mention. Verb She's never mentioned anything to me about her husband. I get nervous every time his name is mentioned. They mentioned him by name. I believe I mentioned the problem to you last week. Most history books don't even mention the event. As previously mentioned, his proposal has been widely criticized. He fails to mention, however, the seriousness of the crime. She mentioned that she would be out of the office the following day. See More
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Robotaxi services have struggled in the years since the pandemic There is no mention of past indiscretions in the announcement. Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 23 May 2023 TikTok has censored any mention of the supplement, but some users got around the platform’s censor by using hashtags with misspellings of the word. Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 17 May 2023 There was no mention of boosting law enforcement presence. Renuka Rayasam, CNN, 16 May 2023 But there is something else about Jones, too, a smile that crosses people’s face even at the mention of his name. The Indianapolis Star, 27 Apr. 2023 At the mention of this, Reid rolls her eyes and shrugs. Lauren Puckett-pope, ELLE, 25 Apr. 2023 But on Monday night, Carlson got only the most passing of mentions. Tori Otten, The New Republic, 25 Apr. 2023 This week, after revelations that a low-level technician in the Massachusetts Air National Guard allegedly shared hundreds of top-secret military intelligence documents online, there was little mention of treason and only occasional whispers of whistleblowing. Marc Fisher, Washington Post, 15 Apr. 2023 And bonus, there was no mention of any paranormal encounters. Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 11 May 2023
Verb
Masters of the universe will really appreciate the sense of privacy, not to mention the 13,000-bottle wine cellar that contains every vintage of Petrus since 1945. Leena Kim, Town & Country, 29 May 2023 And remember: every flush - not to mention, every poor aimer who uses your loo - sends all manner of germs beyond the boundaries of your toilet, so take care to clean the rest of your bathroom regularly, too. Anchorage Daily News, 29 May 2023 Franco-Belgian actor Arieh Worthalter is riveting in the title role, convincing us of Goldman’s innocence, not to mention his commitment to political causes, far before the trial is over. David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 May 2023 The estate has a big pool house with an indoor pool, an impressively large garden that can accommodate events, and a classic bar with a wine cellar that houses 200 labels, not to mention a delicious breakfast menu. Christin Parcerisa Vigueras, Travel + Leisure, 28 May 2023 And this week, Ford CEO Jim Farley mentioned BYD while explaining that Ford’s main EV rivals are Chinese companies, not GM or Toyota. Bysteve Mollman, Fortune, 27 May 2023 Both locations position the brand to take advantage of automotive events including weekend Cars & Coffee gatherings and the Woodward Dream Cruise, not to mention adjacent luxury car and motorcycle brands. Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press, 27 May 2023 Other possible teams for DeAndre Hopkins in 2023 Bookies.com recently had odds for where the Cardinals could trade Hopkins, and the Carolina Panthers, Chicago Bears and Detroit Lions joined several of the teams mentioned above in the odds. Jeremy Cluff, The Arizona Republic, 26 May 2023 Mal mentions potentially leaving the experience engaged to you. Alamin Yohannes, EW.com, 26 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mention.' 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

Noun and Verb

Middle English mencioun, from Anglo-French mencion, from Latin mention-, mentio; akin to Latin meminisse to remember, ment-, mens mind

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of mention was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near mention

Cite this Entry

“Mention.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mention. Accessed 3 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

mention

1 of 2 noun
men·​tion ˈmen-chən How to pronounce mention (audio)
: a brief or passing reference to something

mention

2 of 2 verb
mentioned; mentioning ˈmench-(ə-)niŋ How to pronounce mention (audio)
: to refer to or speak about briefly
mentionable adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on mention

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