v. 1
To make mention of; to speak of; to refer to; to name; to specify
He happened to mention your name to me.
v. 2
To utter a word or expression in order to refer to the expression itself, as opposed to its usual referent.
n. 1
A speaking or noticing of anything, usually in a brief or cursory manner.

Related words

Word family: mentionable
Phrases: don't mention it honorable mention honorary mention make mention
Is a kind of: speak

Forms

Plural: mentions → citations, acknowledgements, credits, quotations…
Past participle: mention'd
e.g. mention'd → referenced, named, sayed, cited…

Choose the right word

Mention, Advert or Refer?

Advert, mention, and refer are used of language that more or less distinctly utters a certain thought; the others of language from which it may be inferred.

J. C. Fernald, English Synonyms and Antonyms (1914)

Example sentences

reference Sami put Layla's name as a reference in his resume.
hint Tom gets angry at the slightest hint of criticism.
cite The devil can cite Scripture for his purpose.

Popularity over time

Word	1850 → 2019	Trend
mention		steady
reference		falling
hint		rising
cite		steady
adduce		falling

Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.

By length

3 letters: say¹, add¹
4 letters: name¹, tell¹, note¹, hint¹, cite¹
5 letters: state¹, touch¹, refer²
6 letters: saying², report², credit², notice², advert², impart², adduce
7 letters: observe², specify³
8 letters: disclose², citation³
9 letters: statement², reference³, quotation³
11 letters: communicate⁴, declaration⁴, observation⁴
13 letters: communication⁵
14 letters: acknowledgment⁴
15 letters: acknowledgement⁴

The small number after each word is its number of syllables (refer² = 2 syllables).

In other languages

Français: mentionner
Italiano: menzionare
Español: mencionar
Deutsch: erwähnen
Català: esmentar