psychological
gb/sˌaɪkəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl/ us/sˌaɪkəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl/
B1
English
~ 2900
Senses
0 senses
adjective
B1
property
1
Relating to the mind
About the mind, thoughts, or feelings.
Usage pattern:
[something] is psychological
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'psychological' with 'psychiatric'; 'psychiatric' relates specifically to mental illness and medical treatment, while 'psychological' is broader.
Synonyms
mental (More commonly used in everyday speech; can sometimes carry a negative connotation when describing people.)
|
cognitive (More technical, often used in academic or scientific contexts about mental processes.)
Antonyms
physical (Refers to the body rather than the mind.)
Collocations
psychological health
|psychological effects
|psychological problems
|psychological research
|psychological support
Themes
psychology
|health
|emotions
Examples
- The war had a deep psychological impact on the soldiers.
- She sought psychological help after the accident.
- Stress can cause both physical and psychological problems.
- The study examines the psychological effects of social media.
- He has a keen interest in psychological theories.
Learner examples
- The movie had a big psychological effect on me.
- He went to see a doctor for psychological help.
- She is reading a book about psychological health.
- Stress can cause psychological problems.
- Psychological studies look at how people think.
adjective
B2
property
2
Related to psychology science
About the science of studying how people think and act.
Usage pattern:
[something] is psychological
Synonyms
behavioral (Focuses more on observable actions rather than internal mental processes.)
Collocations
psychological research
|psychological assessment
|psychological theory
|psychological experiment
Themes
science
|education
Examples
- She is conducting psychological research on memory.
- The university offers several psychological courses.
- The paper discusses various psychological theories.
- Psychological experiments can reveal how we process information.
Learner examples
- He is doing psychological research at the university.
- She studies psychological theories in class.
- We learned about psychological tests.
- The teacher explained a psychological experiment.
Grammar
Dictionary form
psychological
IPA
GB/sˌaɪkəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl/
US/sˌaɪkəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl/
Syllables & stress
psy - cho - lo - gic - al (5 syllables)
Stress on 3rd syllable (lo)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: psychological
Word family
Expressions
psychological barrier
1/sˌaɪkəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl bˈɛɹiɚ/
fixed phrase
Mental obstacle to progress
A thought or feeling that stops you from doing something.
Examples
- Fear of failure can be a major psychological barrier.
- He overcame his psychological barriers to give a speech.
psychological profile
1/sˌaɪkəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl pɹˈoʊfˌaɪl/
fixed phrase
Description of mental traits
A detailed description of how someone thinks, feels, and acts.
Examples
- The police created a psychological profile of the suspect.
- A psychological profile can help in understanding a person's motives.
psychological well-being
1/sˌaɪkəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl wˈɛl bˈiɪŋ/
fixed phrase
State of mental health
How healthy and happy your mind feels.
Examples
- Exercise can improve your psychological well-being.
- Her work supports the psychological well-being of children.
psychological warfare
1/sˌaɪkəlˈɑd͡ʒɪkəl wˈɔɹfˌɛɹ/
fixed phrase
Tactics to affect enemy morale
The use of ideas, rumors, or fear to weaken an enemy's mind in war or competition.
Examples
- The army engaged in psychological warfare to demoralize the opposition.
- The leader used psychological warfare to make the enemy afraid before the battle.
- Rumors were spread as part of their psychological warfare strategy.
- Advertising can sometimes feel like a kind of psychological warfare.