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 He was born nine weeks premature and suffered a severe cerebral hemorrhage. — Kat Pettibone, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026 For decades, Natalie Portman has been one of our most cerebral stars. — Daniel D'addario, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026 The autopsy also found Martinez suffered pulmonary and mild cerebral edema, a potentially deadly condition where excess fluid accumulates in the lungs and brain. — Perry Vandell, USA Today, 12 Aug. 2026 Brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) convert cerebral inputs into actions that allow for improved cognition, prosthetics, or device control. — Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 10 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
  • Current data show that excessive screen time and overreliance on tools like AI hinder children's intellectual and emotional development.
    — Michael Chavira, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Either way, the momentum continues the following day when Mercury meets with Uranus retrograde in Gemini, offering a surge of intellectual clarity on the heels of that Neptunian fog.
    — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of intellectual
Adjective
  • Gloria Steinem attributed her mother's nervous breakdown before she was born, and her treatment in mental institutions and the workforce thereafter, as key to her interest in social injustices.
    — Taijuan Moorman, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
  • But writing notes by hand requires a more engaged mental filter.
    — Rustin Dodd, New York Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of mental
Adjective
  • Mayor Zohran Mamdani said an internal investigation will be conducted and that the body-camera footage will be released to the public.
    — Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Mamdani applauded police for stopping the attack but said an internal investigation would be conducted.
    — Emily Hallas, The Washington Examiner, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of internal
Adjective
  • Once excavation is finished, crews can remove the backup system and inner shield while leaving the outer shell behind as permanent tunnel support.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Each represents a link in a chain, a continuously evolving but mystically consistent method of shaping, presenting, and expressing sound, using its physical properties to map out an inner emotional space.
    — Reed Jackson, SPIN, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of inner
Adjective
  • A day on the dock means less work for the exterior team and twice as much work for the interior team, who has to keep the guests entertained.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 1 Sep. 2026
  • The atrium runs from the aft cockpit to the main salon, creating a single architectural volume between the interior and exterior and the main and lower decks.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of interior
Adjective
  • In this way, massed FPV drones can produce the same tactical and psychological effects traditionally generated by sustained artillery bombardment.
    — Vikram Mittal, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • The judge ultimately ruled that Weatherall must remain in custody until a psychological evaluation is completed in September, per Fox Carolina.
    — Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 30 Aug. 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 5 Sep. 2026.

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