open-minded
Americanadjective
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having or showing a mind receptive to new ideas or arguments.
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unprejudiced; unbigoted; impartial.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of open-minded
First recorded in 1820–30
Explanation
If you're open-minded, you're willing to consider new ideas. An open-minded voter doesn't always stick to his or her political party and instead considers the opinions of candidates from both parties. (Finding an open-minded voter is a bit like trying to find a unicorn. Good luck.) When you've got a serious dilemma — say your two best friends aren't speaking to each other — it's usually helpful to ask an open-minded person for advice. Open-minded people can consider a problem from both sides, without injecting their own opinions or biases, and can often point you in the right direction. Open-minded is first recorded in the 1820s, from the popular figurative meaning of open (think "openhearted").
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The central bank has signaled it remains open-minded about the policy path ahead, noting that its dual mandate of supporting employment and containing inflation.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
That’s understandable, but you need to let that go and be the most openhearted and, yes, open-minded friend you can be.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
In that context, I think it is normal and reasonable for open-minded people to be skeptical and curious about what’s actually in these other 3 million pages of documents.
From Slate • Feb. 4, 2026
Despite not having had a formal education, Daniel said he and his wife, Melody, built a solid life on hard work and effort, which allowed them to be open-minded about Mia’s decision.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 3, 2026
Or, more likely, did they say that race didn’t matter because they wanted to come across—especially to potential mates of their own race—as open-minded?
From "Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything" by Steven D. Levitt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
