mind-set

British  

noun

1. the ideas and attitudes with which a person approaches a situation, esp when these are seen as being difficult to alter

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Explanation

Your usual way of thinking about the world is your mind-set. If you're dreading taking the SAT, remember that a positive mind-set will not only make you feel less stressed and more confident, but might even improve your test score. Your feelings, attitudes, and opinions about things make up your mind-set. You might have a pessimistic mind-set, always seeing the glass as half-empty and generally expecting the worst, or a hard-working mind-set, with a habitual focus on being a conscientious, dedicated worker. In the 1920s, the term was considered to be "educators' jargon," and defined as "habits of mind formed by previous experience."

Example Sentences

That mind-set differentiates the company from other tech players claiming to have moral redlines in defense and intelligence operations.

From Barron's • Mar. 2, 2026

“We’re confident we can help Kenvue improve execution….Our lean operating mind-set will drive significant cost synergies, unlocking significant capacity to invest back into the business and create significant shareholder value.”

From Barron's • Nov. 5, 2025

Having played as a striker in her youth football days, the 24-year-old's impressive passing ability, sharp vision and attacking mind-set come as no surprise.

From BBC • Jul. 10, 2025

It took me a long time to flip from this really insecure, scarcity mind-set, where I truly believed that if somebody else got something that I wanted, it meant they were winning and I lost.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 5, 2025

I’ve slept in my famous female filmmakers T-shirt every night this week to get into the mind-set of a butt-kicking female director.

From "From Twinkle, with Love" by Sandhya Menon

Related Words

• attitude
• demeanor
• frame of mind
• inclination
• mental state
• mood
• perspective
• philosophy
• point of view
• sentiment
• temperament