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

The culture is different, with more of a collective mind-set in Japan, and things there tend to revert to the mean.

From Barron's • Nov. 20, 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’s about changing the mind-set and lifestyle of overweight people, many of whom have never exercised before.”

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 13, 2025

“My mind-set was: Let’s send a message, but do it with a different charge, a lesser charge,” he says.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Related Words

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