mindset
Americannoun
-
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:
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."
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.
“It can be a safe place where they put all their cards on the table so that there’s transparency,” said Marter, a financial therapist and author of “The Financial Mindset Fix.”
From MarketWatch • Mar. 5, 2026
“Muffled audio is fatal,” says Grennan of AI Mindset.
From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026
It’s also worth noting that Cedar Innovation has hired a longtime lobbying firm, Mindset Advocacy, whose staffer Charlie Schreiber will be tasked with persuading his old boss McHenry to drop his long-pursued stablecoins bill.
From Slate • May 2, 2024
"Mindset will do everything to show support to the lady's family and keep her legacy alive."
From BBC • Dec. 15, 2023
Or, try the Mindset Experience With Meditative Stories gift box, which includes an assortment of caffeinated and uncaffeinated teas and a challenge to incorporate more mindfulness into everyday living.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 4, 2021
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.
