Mention means to refer to something briefly or bring it up in conversation without going into detail. When your teacher mentions an upcoming field trip, she's letting you know it exists but isn't explaining everything about it yet. When a news article mentions a scientist's earlier research, it's pointing readers toward that work without describing it fully.

The word suggests a light touch: you're bringing something to someone's attention, not diving deep into it. If your friend asks what you did over the weekend, you might mention that you went to the park, watched a movie, and visited your grandparents. Each gets a quick reference rather than a long story.

You'll often see the phrase “not to mention,” which actually does the opposite of what it says. It introduces something additional and often important: “The hike was exhausting, not to mention the rain that soaked us halfway through.” Here, “not to mention” emphasizes the rain as an extra difficulty.

When something is “worth mentioning” or receives an “honorable mention,” it matters enough to acknowledge even if it's not the main focus. An honorable mention in a writing contest recognizes good work that didn't win first place but deserves recognition.