mindful
Americanadjective
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attentive, aware, or careful (usually followed byof ).
mindful of one's responsibilities.
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noting or relating to the psychological technique of mindfulness.
mindful observation of one's experiences.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of mindful
First recorded in 1375–1425, mindful is from the late Middle English word mindeful. See mind, -ful
Explanation
Being mindful means paying close attention to or being especially conscious of something. If you are aware of the fact that your friend is upset, you're mindful of her feelings. Sometimes mindful has the sense of "careful," as when a farmer is mindful of the amount of water she uses during a drought, or when you're mindful of the fact that your little sister easily gets her feelings hurt. In Old English, myndful meant "of good memory," or "having a good mind," while the related word myndig had a meaning similar to today's mindful.
Vocabulary lists containing mindful
Vocabulary from Readings 1, Unit 1
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Careful
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Vocabulary from Readings, Unit 3
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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.
So here are some new wrinkles to be mindful of, by airline.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026
“Having two older kids who are out of the nest and knowing how fast these final years go, we’re trying to be mindful of holding onto what we can,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
It’s not incredibly worrisome, just something to be mindful about when making your soup.
From Salon ● Jul. 19, 2026
But, mindful of fluctuating costs, they have also been taking steps to reduce their fuel consumption, while "squirreling away that extra little bit of cash".
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
It also provided Etta with enough money to get by on, if she was mindful of her pennies.
From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson
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.
