psychological

adjective

psy·​cho·​log·​i·​cal ˌsī-kə-ˈlä-ji-kəl 

variants or less commonly psychologic

ˌsī-kə-ˈlä-jik 

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

ˌsī-kə-ˈlä-ji-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Since losing its Winston Cup [NASCAR] races, the town of North Wilkesboro has suffered economically and psychologically.

—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

Synonyms

• cerebral
• inner
• intellectual
• interior
• internal
• mental

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

The hapless but deeply lovable and tragically self-aware Marcelo needs and deserves a psychological makeover, and Naishtat and Alché are too fond of him to deny him one. —Jessica Kiang, Variety, 29 Sep. 2023

Part meme, part psychological impulse, GAS is a compulsion to buy shiny new things, rooted partially in a desire to improve creatively without doing much work. —Chris Velazco, Washington Post, 29 Sep. 2023

The early-withdrawal penalty for breaking a CD functions as sort of a psychological hurdle that can keep you from straying off your financial path, experts say. —Martha C. White, wsj.com, 28 Sep. 2023

For a long time, my field has focused exclusively on the psychological impacts of trauma. —Hazlitt, 27 Sep. 2023

Social scientists across disciplines from Kurt Lewin and Herbert Kelman to Roger Fisher and Viktor Frankl shed light on the social and psychological basis for these visions. —Byjeffrey Sonnenfeld, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2023

While the original study combined the overall average of all kids’ mental well-being, the new analysis looked at each child’s individual psychological health, which revealed more variation among them. —Melissa Rudy, Fox News, 23 Sep. 2023

Become a Subscriber Every tragedy leaves behind its own idiosyncratic scars, both physical and psychological. —Robin George Andrews, The Atlantic, 10 Sep. 2023

Our findings allow military and corporate leaders alike to apply the latest science on psychological readiness in order to build stronger, more resilient–more ready–teams and individuals. —Michael Litano, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2023

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Word History

First Known Use

circa 1787, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Phrases Containing psychological

• psychological warfare
• psychological moment

• psychological warfare
• psychological moment

Kids Definition

psychological

adjective

psy·​cho·​log·​i·​cal ˌsī-kə-ˈläj-i-kəl 

variants also psychologic

-ˈläj-ik 

1

a

: of or relating to psychology

b

: mental sense 1

2

: meant to influence the will or mind

psychologically

-i-k(ə-)lē 

adverb

Medical Definition

psychological

adjective

psy·​cho·​log·​i·​cal ˌsī-kə-ˈläj-i-kəl 

variants also psychologic

-ik 

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

-ē

adverb