sane

adjective

ˈsān 

saner; sanest

1

: proceeding from a sound mind : rational

2

: mentally sound

especially : able to anticipate and appraise the effect of one's actions

3

: healthy in body

sanely adverb

saneness

ˈsān-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• balanced
• clearheaded
• compos mentis
• lucid
• normal
• right
• stable

Choose the Right Synonym for sane

wise, sage, sapient, judicious, prudent, sensible, sane mean having or showing sound judgment.

wise suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them.

wise beyond his tender years

sage suggests wide experience, great learning, and wisdom.

the sage advice of my father

sapient suggests great sagacity and discernment.

the sapient musings of an old philosopher

judicious stresses a capacity for reaching wise decisions or just conclusions.

judicious parents using kindness and discipline in equal measure

prudent suggests the exercise of restraint guided by sound practical wisdom and discretion.

a prudent decision to wait out the storm

sensible applies to action guided and restrained by good sense and rationality.

a sensible woman who was not fooled by flattery

sane stresses mental soundness, rationality, and levelheadedness.

remained sane even in times of crises

Examples of sane in a Sentence

No sane person could do something so horrible.

Leaving was the only sane option she had.

Recent Examples on the Web

Also, my narrator has lived too long to be fully sane. —Hazlitt, 3 Apr. 2024

What’s the best way to get to San Diego? San Diego International Airport (SAN) is conveniently located near the city’s downtown, and its manageable scale makes arriving and departing relatively sane. —Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 19 Mar. 2024

Thanks to the tireless work of whistleblowers, journalists, and concerned citizens — the British public has given the only sane and responsible answer. —The Editors, National Review, 14 Mar. 2024

Yesterday, the United States seemed to make a similar break with Ariel Henry, the de facto prime minister whom Washington has supported—doggedly and against all sane advice—throughout the two and a half years of his dismal administration. —Amy Wilentz, The Atlantic, 7 Mar. 2024

In the show, women are at once patient and consumer, entitled and exploited, natural and artificial, seen and erased, hormonal and sane. —Amanda Hess, New York Times, 29 Feb. 2024

He is kept sane by phone calls from his mother (Catalina Saavedra), who encourages him from their home country to keep pursuing his artistic passion. —Sonia Rao, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024

An entirely sane man would not yell at an enraged 600-pound bull that stands 30 feet in front of him. —Toby Muse, Rolling Stone, 3 Mar. 2024

A certain wooziness is the only sane response to ‘Beau Travail,’ her stunning film about a group of French Foreign Legion soldiers stationed in Djibouti. —Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Latin sanus healthy, sane

First Known Use

1628, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sane

adjective

ˈsān 

saner; sanest

1

: mentally sound and healthy

2

: proceeding from a sound mind : rational, sensible

sanely adverb

saneness

ˈsān-nəs 

noun

Medical Definition

sane

adjective

ˈsān 

saner; sanest

1

: free from hurt or disease : healthy

2

: mentally sound

especially : able to anticipate and appraise the effect of one's actions

3

: proceeding from a sound mind

sane behavior

sanely adverb

Legal Definition

sane

adjective

: mentally sound

specifically : able to understand one's actions and distinguish right from wrong