mentally ill

adjective

1. having a mental illness.

noun

, (used with a plural verb)

1. Usually the mentally ill. mentally ill persons collectively.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mentally ill¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

One woman, who fled Iran for Canada in 2018, told BBC Persian that her family had been pressured by the Iranian regime to declare her mentally ill.

From BBC

“It’s not like finding another primary care provider or orthopedic surgeon, and this is an exceedingly difficult task for someone who is mentally ill to accomplish,” Mark said.

From Salon

“We’ve already been on the defense” against people who claim all homeless people are using illegal substances or are mentally ill, she said.

From Los Angeles Times

Many tenants in the buildings are elderly, disabled, mentally ill or addicted to drugs.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s not the case when you hear, ‘Well, that lone wolf was mentally ill and this has nothing to do with politics, it’s about mental illness.’

From Los Angeles Times