mentally retarded

adjective

often offensive

: affected by intellectual disability : intellectually disabled

… Rosa's Law, which changed references in federal law from "mental retardation" to "intellectual disability" and references to a mentally retarded individual to an individual with an intellectual disability.

—Victor R. Martinez

Note: The use of intellectually disabled is now preferred over mentally retarded in medical, educational, and regulatory contexts, as well as in general use. The term mentally retarded is increasingly considered offensive, though it was the dominant term into the second decade of the current century.

Usage of Mental Retardation and Intellectual Disability

The use of intellectual disability and intellectually disabled are preferred over mental retardation and mentally retarded in medical, educational, and regulatory contexts, as well as in general use. The terms mental retardation and mentally retarded are increasingly considered offensive, though they were the dominant terms into the second decade of the twenty-first century.

Examples of mentally retarded in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Emma met all kinds of moms at the academy—a Black woman and her son formerly diagnosed with Down’s syndrome from inner-city Bridgeport; a white Smith College graduate from Westport and her daughter who’d been diagnosed mentally retarded. —Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1899, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for mentally retarded

• bombarded
• discarded
• regarded
• safeguarded
• unguarded
• carded
• guarded
• disregarded
• unregarded

Kids Definition

mentally retarded

adjective

now often offensive

: affected by intellectual disability : intellectually disabled

Medical Definition

mentally retarded

adjective

now often offensive : affected by intellectual disability : intellectually disabled

Note: The use of intellectually disabled is now preferred over mentally retarded in medical, educational, and regulatory contexts, as well as in general use. The term mentally retarded is increasingly considered offensive, though it was the dominant term into the second decade of the current century.