compos mentis

adjective

ˈkäm-pəs-ˈmen-təs How to pronounce compos mentis (audio)
Definition of compos mentisnext
as in stable
having full use of one's mind and control over one's actions went to court to prove that her grandmother was no longer compos mentis and needed a legal guardian

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 compos mentis Second, and more important, while Biden’s voice may be faltering, and some of his sentences rest incomplete, there is little question which candidate is less compos mentis than the other. — Jack Rakove, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for compos mentis
  1. stable
  2. lucid
  3. normal
  4. balanced
  5. rational
  6. healthy
Adjective
  • In a unanimous vote, the 44 senators present voted to remove Peña for misconduct in office, bringing a dramatic end to one of South America's most stable presidencies.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Nov. 2026
  • This bike would make a lot more sense if my feet were solid and stable underneath me.
    — Kevin Fanady, New Atlas, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of stable
Adjective
  • Binoche plays Amanda with a surfeit of tenderness for her mother, who goes from being lucid to infantile without warning.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026
  • This lucid translation makes no apologies for preserving Homer’s (to us) nonidiomatic constructions.
    — The Week US, TheWeek, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of lucid
Adjective
  • There’s no telling how long these discounts will last, so be sure to find the one that fits your cleaning needs before prices return to normal.
    — Toni Sutton, PEOPLE, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The latest Santa Ana wind event moving through Southern California will peak Saturday, but higher-than-normal temperatures and elevated fire risk will remain through next week.
    — Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 7 Nov. 2026
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • While spaghetti squash may elicit a lower blood sugar response than acorn squash, both can fit into a balanced lifestyle that supports blood sugar levels.
    — Amy Brownstein, Verywell Health, 2 Nov. 2026
  • The administration made the fiscally responsible decision to incorporate these proceeds into its supplemental pension payment as part of a balanced budget that also maintains funding for critical services and neighborhood investments.
    — Todd Feurer, CBS News, 2 Nov. 2026
Definition of balanced
Adjective
  • Carlisle is entitled to make fun of her colleagues for overestimating the power of rational argument and for preferring false simplicity to complicated truth.
    — Kieran Setiya, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2026
  • The calm, rational response to the Dallas Cowboys’ latest embarrassing performance is to burn it down.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Nov. 2026
Definition of rational
Adjective
  • The Saints offense is seemingly only getting healthier and now with three legitimate receivers and their running back on the cusp of a return, Shough could be primed for a nice Week 10 and a big second half.
    — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Follow a meal plan combining Mediterranean and DASH diet principles rich in leafy greens, berries and healthy fats.
    — Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 11 Nov. 2026
Definition of healthy

Browse Nearby Words

compositions
compos mentis
compost
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Compos mentis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/compos%20mentis. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
speech-bubble-untangle
Simplify The Convoluted Expression Quiz A quiz that’s as “uncomplicated as a round de...
See All