Looking up...
sane
/seɪn/
mentally healthy and rational
After years of therapy, she finally felt sane again.
She regained her mental stability and clear thinking.
general
Having a healthy, rational mind; not mentally ill or disturbed
The doctor reassured him that he was sane and didn't need medication.
The doctor confirmed his mental health was stable.
She seemed perfectly sane, but her actions were erratic.
Her behavior didn't match her apparent mental stability.
Often contrasted with 'insane' or 'mad'
informal
Logical, reasonable, or sensible
That's a perfectly sane idea, but it's not practical.
The idea makes sense, but it's not feasible.
Used to describe ideas or plans, not just people
Collocations
sane persona mentally healthy individualsane decisiona reasonable choicesane environmenta mentally healthy setting
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Formal vs. Informal Use
In formal contexts, 'sane' refers strictly to mental health. In casual speech, it can describe reasonable decisions or actions.
Gold Rule
Avoid Overuse
Using 'sane' too frequently can make your speech sound repetitive. Vary with synonyms like 'rational' or 'balanced'.
Word Origin
From Old French 'sain' (healthy), from Latin 'sanus' (healthy, well)
Usage Notes
Can describe people, ideas, or environments. In formal contexts, it typically refers to mental health; in informal contexts, it can describe reasonable actions.
Word Breakdown
san-
healthy
root-e
adjective ending
suffixEnglish Dictionary