cerebral

adjective

sə-ˈrē-brəl How to pronounce cerebral (audio)
Definition of cerebralnext
1
as in intellectual
much given to learning and thinking a very cerebral jurist who has given much thought to what makes our nation's constitution work

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in mental
of or relating to the mind a young man given more to cerebral pursuits than to sporting activities

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of cerebral As a rock star, Chrissie Hynde has always been a bit of a paradox — gnarly but cerebral, ferocious yet guarded. — Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 14 Sep. 2026 If fluid starts pooling in your lungs (known as high-altitude pulmonary edema) or in your brain (high-altitude cerebral edema), get medical attention as soon as possible. — Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 3 Sep. 2026 With just a handful of Hollywood stars set to grace the carpet, there’s reason to believe the fashion on show might skew considered and cerebral. — Tanya Fevzi, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026 Japan has selected Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s luminously cerebral French-language feature All of a Sudden as its submission for the best international feature category at the 99th Academy Awards. — Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cerebral
Recent Examples of Synonyms for cerebral
  1. intellectual
  2. mental
  3. internal
  4. inner
  5. interior
  6. psychological
Adjective
  • For a writer so given to cultural reference, intellectual genealogy, and various explanatory apparatuses, this failure of language is unexpectedly liberating to read.
    — Zain Khalid, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026
  • But the data gap was particularly glaring for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, potentially missing 75% of the population, according to a recent paper co-authored by CDC statisticians.
    — O. Rose Broderick, STAT, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of intellectual
Adjective
  • The day improves once your mental energy has something interesting to explore instead of something annoying to manage.
    — Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
  • That mental discipline — paired with her elite diving IQ — is what has carried her to the sport’s highest stage.
    — Bella Armstrong, Miami Herald, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of mental
Adjective
  • Cavitation has been modeled for a long time, but scientists have never examined it as an internal driver of droplet breakup.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Roche stopped work on one of its obesity drug candidates, after clinical-trial data suggested the medicine did not hit internal targets, The Wall Street Journal tells us.
    — Ed Silverman, STAT, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of internal
Adjective
  • Channel your inner Stewart and Middleton and snatch up a few skinnies of your own for fall.
    — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The most potent day of the month for inner alchemy and purification will be on October 23, when the Sun enters Scorpio and conjoins Venus, an event otherwise known as a Venus cazimi.
    — Steph Koyfman, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of inner
Adjective
  • Hanging from a gantry erected in the interior courtyard of the palazzo, tire fragments are threaded together and reassembled into hulking blasting mats.
    — Tina M. Campt, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Datskovska regularly reports on interior trends worth shopping online.
    — Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of interior
Adjective
  • Instead of a nanny, Lowen Ashleigh (Johnson) is a up-and-coming writer hired to help famed author Verity Crawford (Hathaway) finish her series of twisted psychological thrillers after a car accident left her unable to complete them on her own.
    — Glamour, Glamour, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Josh, your book is deeply psychological and rooted in a child’s experience, following Bela’s narration and her uncertainty about what’s real.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of psychological

Browse Nearby Words

ceramics
cerebral
cerebral palsy
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Cite this Entry

“Cerebral.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/cerebral. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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