sane

adjective

ˈsān How to pronounce sane (audio)
Definition of sanenext
as in stable
having full use of one's mind and control over one's actions the court ruled that the woman was indeed sane when she made out her will

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sane distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of sane are judicious, prudent, sage, sapient, sensible, and wise. While all these words mean "having or showing sound judgment," sane stresses mental soundness, rationality, and levelheadedness.

remained sane even in times of crises

When might judicious be a better fit than sane?

In some situations, the words judicious and sane are roughly equivalent. However, judicious stresses a capacity for reaching wise decisions or just conclusions.

judicious parents using kindness and discipline in equal measure

When is prudent a more appropriate choice than sane?

While the synonyms prudent and sane are close in meaning, prudent suggests the exercise of restraint guided by sound practical wisdom and discretion.

a prudent decision to wait out the storm

In what contexts can sage take the place of sane?

While in some cases nearly identical to sane, sage suggests wide experience, great learning, and wisdom.

the sage advice of my father

When is it sensible to use sapient instead of sane?

Although the words sapient and sane have much in common, sapient suggests great sagacity and discernment.

the sapient musings of an old philosopher

When could sensible be used to replace sane?

The meanings of sensible and sane largely overlap; however, sensible applies to action guided and restrained by good sense and rationality.

a sensible woman who was not fooled by flattery

Where would wise be a reasonable alternative to sane?

The synonyms wise and sane are sometimes interchangeable, but wise suggests great understanding of people and of situations and unusual discernment and judgment in dealing with them.

wise beyond his tender years

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 sane Also, staying immersed in her stories keeps her sane. —Katie Campione, Deadline, 3 Mar. 2025 He’s gone from the symbol of all things sane and benevolent to a violent dictator in the course of a month. —Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 20 Feb. 2025 America and the world have many urgent problems, but nobody of sane mind ever thought that the Canadian border was on that list. —Andreas Kluth, The Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2025 Gyllenhaal asks perhaps the only sane question: Why choose? —Greg Evans, Deadline, 23 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sane
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sane
  1. stable
  2. normal
  3. lucid
  4. rational
  5. reasonable
  6. balanced
  7. healthy
  8. sensible
Adjective
  • Public Health For homeless seniors, finding stable housing takes a village — and a lot of luck But only 22 properties are likely to get full funding for their projects, most of them small, said a HUD staffer with knowledge of the program's status.
    — Jennifer Ludden, NPR, 6 Apr. 2025
  • Each seat comes with power sockets and USB charging ports, and while the airline doesn’t offer traditional in-flight entertainment screens, a pop-up arm provides a stable perch for a tablet (more on that below).
    — Scott Campbell, Travel + Leisure, 6 Apr. 2025
Definition of stable
Adjective
  • Augusta National operates differently than normal places.
    — Brody Miller, New York Times, 9 Apr. 2025
  • That might well be the new normal for Toronto, Sundance and Cannes.
    — Mike Fleming Jr, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of normal
Adjective
  • Han, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature last year, has written about the Jeju uprising before in the brutal and lucid 2014 novel Human Acts.
    — Vulture Editors, Vulture, 1 Apr. 2025
  • The evidence of a hunt was penetrating from his neck, still intact — and the brownish-tan dog was still lucid.
    — TJ Macias, Kansas City Star, 18 Mar. 2025
Definition of lucid
Adjective
  • Rajula Srivastava, for contributions in harmonic analysis and analytic number theory, including contributions to the problem of counting rational points near smooth manifolds.
    — Alex Cramer, HollywoodReporter, 6 Apr. 2025
  • There is no rational analysis that would lead one to the conclusion that a President would single-handedly decide to blow up a century’s worth of globalization on a chilly Wednesday afternoon in April.
    — Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of rational
Adjective
  • Netanyahu was told to be reasonable on Turkey Since the fall of the Assad dynasty in Syria late last year, Israel and Turkey have been competing in the country over their separate interests there.
    — Time, Time, 9 Apr. 2025
  • Ars wrote more about why this is a reasonable path forward last September.
    — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 9 Apr. 2025
Definition of reasonable
Adjective
  • The balanced team performance drew praises from head coach Geno Auriemma, who went as far as saying that the team made no mistakes.
    — Roberta F. Rodrigues, Forbes.com, 5 Apr. 2025
  • Bacon, green cabbage, and potatoes combine with a little cider vinegar and crushed red pepper for a balanced and flavorful dish.
    — Lisa Cericola, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2025
Definition of balanced
Adjective
  • Justice for healthy relationships being the most romantic!
    — Esther Kang, People.com, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Vulnerability is absolutely essential to healthy working relationships.
    — Joe Altieri, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025
Definition of healthy
Adjective
  • Wear sensible shoes to explore Kathleen Ferguson’s urban flower farm built on a slope.
    — Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2025
  • Your idea about cremation so your ashes can be divided between the two gravesites seems sensible to me.
    — Jeanne Phillips, Mercury News, 31 Mar. 2025
Definition of sensible

Browse Nearby Words

sandy
sane
saneness
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Cite this Entry

“Sane.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sane. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

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