mental note

USAGE SUMMARY

"mental note" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to an idea or reminder you need to remember, typically something that you do not want to write down or forget. Example: I made a mental note to call my accountant tomorrow.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

57 human-written examples

Make a mental note.

The New York Times

Lee appeared to make a mental note.

The New Yorker

Frank make mental note to call Wolfman.

The New Yorker

I made a mental note of that.

The New York Times - Travel

I made a mental note to investigate.

The New York Times - Sports

The actors made a mental note.

The New York Times - Style

The architect made a mental note.

The New York Times

Mental note: stay away from shifty-eyed Manhattan men.

The New York Times

"I remember making that mental note, and then catching myself".

The Guardian

(c) Never says, "I'm making a mental note".

The New Yorker

She made a mental note of this detail.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "mental note" when you want to convey that someone is making a quick, internal observation or decision to remember something without physically writing it down.

Common error

Avoid using "mental note" when describing complex plans or strategies. It implies a brief consideration, not a comprehensive arrangement. For detailed plans, use terms like "strategy", "plan", or "detailed notes".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "mental note" functions primarily as a noun phrase. It refers to an intention or decision to remember something, acting as a quick, internal reminder. Ludwig's examples show it used in contexts where someone is making an observation they want to recall later.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

88%

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Science

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "mental note" is a commonly used noun phrase indicating an intention to remember something. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and widely applicable. The phrase appears most frequently in news and media, signaling its widespread acceptance in diverse writing contexts. When employing "mental note", ensure you are referring to a brief, internal reminder rather than a detailed plan. Alternatives like "remember for later" or "keep in mind" can be useful depending on the specific context. For example, one might say "I made a "mental note" to follow up on that lead next week".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

remember for later

A straightforward expression of intending to recall something at a future time.

keep in mind

A more general expression for remembering something, lacking the immediacy of a note.

bear in mind

Similar to "keep in mind" but slightly more formal.

make a mental bookmark

Implies marking something important in one's memory for easy retrieval, similar to bookmarking a webpage.

jot down a reminder

Focuses on the action of quickly recording something to remember, rather than just noting it mentally.

internally register

Focuses on the internal process of recording information.

store away for future reference

Highlights the intention of saving information for later use.

make a memorandum to oneself

More formal and emphasizes the act of creating a formal record for personal use.

commit to memory

Emphasizes the effort to memorize something thoroughly.

take heed

Emphasizes paying attention and being cautious about something.

FAQs

How can I use "mental note" in a sentence?

You can use "mental note" to indicate that you are reminding yourself of something important. For example, "I made a "mental note" to buy milk on the way home."

What's a more formal way to say "mental note"?

While "mental note" is suitable for most contexts, a more formal alternative could be "make a memorandum to oneself". However, for most cases, "remember for later" or "keep in mind" are appropriate alternatives.

Is it correct to say "mentally note" instead of "mental note"?

"Mentally note" can function as a verb phrase (e.g. "I will mentally note that for future reference"), whereas "mental note" is a noun phrase (e.g. "I made a mental note"). The choice depends on the sentence structure.

What's the difference between "mental note" and "reminder"?

A "reminder" is often a physical or external cue to remember something (like a calendar alert), while a "mental note" is an internal, unwritten intention to remember something. You might use a "reminder" to prompt a "mental note", but they are not interchangeable.