A mentalist is a performer who creates the illusion of having extraordinary mental powers like mind reading, telepathy, or predicting the future. Mentalists use psychology, showmanship, and clever techniques to make audiences believe they can know what someone is thinking or influence their choices.

Unlike a magician who might pull a rabbit from a hat, a mentalist might correctly “guess” which card you're thinking of, reveal a word you wrote down in secret, or predict which object you'll choose before you choose it. Famous mentalists perform on stage and television, amazing audiences by seemingly reading minds.

The key word is seemingly. Mentalists are entertainers who use observation, probability, suggestion, and misdirection rather than actual psychic powers. A skilled mentalist might notice tiny clues in how you react, guide your choices without you realizing it, or use mathematical principles that make certain outcomes likely.

The word can also describe someone who emphasizes mental or intellectual approaches over physical or emotional ones, though this usage is less common. In philosophy, a mentalist believes that the mind is the fundamental reality, but you'll mostly encounter the word in the context of performance and entertainment.