<?xml version="1.0"?>
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    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2017-03-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000701811</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MENTOR GRAPHICS CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MENT</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001615442</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Ellow Michael</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MENTOR GRAPHICS CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>8005 SW BOECKMAN ROAD</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WILSONVILLE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>OR</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>97070</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Senior Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

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            <transactionTimeliness>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionPricePerShare>
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                </transactionShares>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2018-09-09</value>
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                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
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                <value></value>
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                <transactionShares>
                    <value>20584</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2017-03-30</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
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            <expirationDate>
                <value>2019-09-07</value>
            </expirationDate>
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                <transactionCode>D</transactionCode>
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                <value></value>
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                <transactionShares>
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                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
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                    <value>D</value>
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                <value>2017-03-30</value>
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                <value>2019-09-07</value>
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    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The acquisition of Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units is reported as a result of the deemed satisfaction of the performance goal at 100% of target effective as of the completion of the merger of the issuer with a subsidiary of Siemens Industry, Inc.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Dean Freed, Attorney-in-fact for Michael Ellow</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2017-03-30</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
