Synonyms

mindset

American

[mahynd-set] / ˈmaɪndˌsɛt /

Or mind-set

noun

a fixed attitude, disposition, or mood.

His conservative mindset sometimes causes him to miss out on important opportunities.
Her judgmental mindset has cost her a number of friendships.
an intention or inclination.

I'm not sure what her mindset will be when you ask her about her plans.

Etymology

Origin of mindset

First recorded in 1905–10; mind ( def. ) + set ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does mindset compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

mentality vs. mindset

Explanation

A person's usual attitude or mental state is his or her mindset. If you have an environmentalist mindset, you probably bring your own bags to the grocery store. Some examples of mindsets include an optimist's sunny perspective on life, a business owner's entrepreneurial way of thinking, or an Army general's military focus. Sometimes, a mindset spreads between people in a group and colors the entire group's outlook — psychologists call this groupthink. The noun mindset was first used in the 1930s to mean "habits of mind formed by previous experience."

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Vocabulary lists containing mindset

"My Left Foot" and "Success Is a Mind-Set"

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"Mindsets in the Classroom"

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Everything We Never Had

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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.

Armed with that mindset, Taylor and Leicestershire are back in Division One for the first time in 22 years this season after being promoted.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

And it’s part self-help book offering a new mindset for success, one that encourages managing our emotions, clarifying what we want for ourselves and changing the way we think about what’s possible.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Raman, who co-authored the new book “Open to Work” with LinkedIn CEO Ryan Roslansky, said employees need to strike a balance between driving AI efficiencies and showing an entrepreneurial mindset.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

One of the biggest shifts in mindset required for switching to EVs is understanding that they aren’t as equivalent to one another as gas vehicles, which have had more than a century to mature.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Overkill was part of the same mindset, Denny told me.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023