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 The child developed spastic cerebral palsy and was believed to have cerebral visual impairment. — Inaya Folarin Iman, CBS News, 29 Sep. 2026 With both of these planets transiting Air signs, there is a cerebral side to this alignment, presenting the opportunity to channel feelings of restlessness into something resourceful. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026 When he was hired in January, the prevailing thought was that the cerebral partnership between McDaniel and Herbert would prove a perfect match. — Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026 Yet despite the technical wizardry—dry-aging, fermentation, curing, meticulous butchery—the dishes never feel overly cerebral. — Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 15 Sep. 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
  • Plath is shown not as a passive victim of despair, but as a brilliant intellectual and visionary poet.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 16 Oct. 2026
  • In the process, Hall, Woodford, and other scholars helped breathe new life into the ideas of economics giant John Maynard Keynes, whose intellectual legacy, for a time, seemed in danger of melting away.
    — Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of intellectual
Adjective
  • Women naturally store less creatine than men, and during perimenopause and menopause, declining estrogen can take a toll on both muscle health and mental clarity.
    — Maggie Ryan, Flow Space, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Steeped in therapy culture and financial literacy content, young Americans are fluent in boundary-setting and open to frank conversations about money and mental load.
    — Grace Kelleher, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of mental
Adjective
  • Cornell closed the fraternity chapter and disciplined several students following an internal investigation, but no criminal charges have been filed.
    — Leah Willingham, Los Angeles Times, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Caplan said that Weiss’s consistent internal communication on his action plan—addressing nine areas, including facilities, visitor experience, technology, and security—has already helped with morale.
    — Hilarie M. Sheets, ARTnews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of internal
Adjective
  • Space Afrika bring in slow-moving and often gorgeous layers of double bass, violin, harp, saxophone, and piano to exhume the revelry, grief, and chaos of their inner worlds.
    — Kiana Mickles, Pitchfork, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Arcel is masterful in a character study whose protagonist is often unreadable and elusive — and whose previously unexposed inner cold streak proves catastrophic to her community.
    — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of inner
Adjective
  • That ethos extends to the layout, with a seamless flow between the interior and exterior living spaces.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The rest of the UltraSlim, including the compressor, condenser, and nearly all the interior components, sit outside the window.
    — John R. Delaney, PC Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of interior
Adjective
  • The psychological cost Many citizens told the Herald that the power outages are taking a toll on their mental health.
    — Catherine Ellis, Miami Herald, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Also in this week’s Screen Gab, our writers recommend a miniseries about a mysterious sea creature terrorizing a small coastal town and a pair of psychological horror dramas exploring female rage.
    — Yvonne Villarreal, Los Angeles Times, 9 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 16 Oct. 2026.

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