Meaning & use
mention
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Meanings
verbtransitive
To refer to something briefly, especially in speech or writing, without going into detail.
Grammar: Takes an object: mention the problem.
Patterns
- mention something
- mention something to someone
- mention that ...
She mentioned the meeting to me yesterday.
He mentioned that he might be late.
Did you mention my name to the manager?
verbtransitive
To say someone's name or refer to someone in a conversation, often to give them credit or bring them to attention.
Grammar: Often used with 'in' to specify the context: mention someone in a speech.
Patterns
- mention someone
- mention someone in something
She mentioned her sister in her acceptance speech.
He was mentioned in the report for his contribution.
Word forms
| third person singular | mentions |
|---|---|
| past tense | mentioned |
| past participle | mentioned |
| -ing form | mentioning |
Common combinations
- mention something to someone
- Please mention the change to your team.
- mention something in passing
- She mentioned in passing that she was moving.
- not to mention
- He's smart, not to mention very funny.
- don't mention it
- Thank you. — Don't mention it.
- worth mentioning
- One more point is worth mentioning.
Synonyms and how they differ
- refer to
- Often used when you direct attention to something more formally; 'mention' is more casual and brief.
- cite
- Used for quoting or naming a source, especially in academic writing; 'mention' does not imply quoting.
- note
- Means to notice or record something; 'mention' is about saying it, not writing it down.
Word family
- mention noun
- A brief reference to something.
Practice
Choose the correct sentence:
Choose one answer.
'Mention' is transitive and takes a direct object, so 'mentioned the meeting' is correct. 'Mentioned about' is a common mistake because 'about' is not used after 'mention'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mention”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.