cognitive functioning

Meaning

1. 1noununcountabletechnical

   The overall ability of the mind to think, remember, learn, pay attention and solve problems.

   Grammar: Uncountable: her cognitive functioning is good, not a cognitive functioning.

   Patterns

   • improve cognitive functioning
   • decline in cognitive functioning

   Doctors tested her cognitive functioning after the accident.

   Regular sleep supports healthy cognitive functioning.

   The study measured changes in cognitive functioning in older adults.

Common combinations

improve cognitive functioning

Exercise may improve cognitive functioning in older adults.

decline in cognitive functioning

The patient showed a slow decline in cognitive functioning.

assess cognitive functioning

Nurses assess cognitive functioning with short memory tests.

impaired cognitive functioning

Lack of sleep leads to impaired cognitive functioning.

level of cognitive functioning

The test shows her level of cognitive functioning is above average.

affect cognitive functioning

Stress can affect cognitive functioning.

Synonyms and how they differ

mental ability

Mental ability is plainer and everyday, whereas cognitive functioning sounds clinical and covers several skills at once.

cognition

Cognition names the mental processes themselves, while cognitive functioning stresses how well they work.

brain function

Brain function is broader and includes bodily control, while cognitive functioning is limited to thinking skills.

Opposites

Word family

cognition noun

the mental process of knowing and thinking

cognitive adjective

relating to thinking and understanding

cognitively adverb

in a way that relates to thinking

function verb

to work in the expected way

Commonly confused: cognitive functioning or cognitive?

Practice

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