psychological
adjective
psy·cho·log·i·cal
ˌsī-kə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 
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.
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
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
But there’s a catch: every conversation feels like a debate, a life lesson or a psychological breakdown of your feelings.
—Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
The curse that plagues Rose is a chilling metaphor for unresolved psychological pain and how fear can metastasize when left untreated.
—Jane Lacroix, People.com, 15 May 2025
Cohen pushed back on some of those points, noting that other countries like Canada and Australia, which share many of the same psychological and cultural traits as the United States, have taken much swifter action to pass laws aimed at reducing traffic deaths.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 15 May 2025
In her lawsuit filed in November 2023, Ventura accused Combs of subjecting her to years of rape, beatings, and psychological manipulation.
—Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for psychological
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Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 15 May 2025
The curse that plagues Rose is a chilling metaphor for unresolved psychological pain and how fear can metastasize when left untreated.
—Jane Lacroix, People.com, 15 May 2025
Cohen pushed back on some of those points, noting that other countries like Canada and Australia, which share many of the same psychological and cultural traits as the United States, have taken much swifter action to pass laws aimed at reducing traffic deaths.
—Mack Degeurin, Popular Science, 15 May 2025
In her lawsuit filed in November 2023, Ventura accused Combs of subjecting her to years of rape, beatings, and psychological manipulation.
—Nick Mordowanec, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for psychological
Cite this Entry
“Psychological.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/psychological. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
psychological
adjective
psy·cho·log·i·cal
ˌsī-kə-ˈläj-i-kəl
variants
also 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
: meant to influence the will or mind
psychological warfare
Medical Definition
psychological
adjective
psy·cho·log·i·cal
ˌsī-kə-ˈläj-i-kəl
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
-ē
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