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.
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
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"
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
"Mindsets in the Classroom"
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Everything We Never Had
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
"All of this is evidence of a real shift in mindset," Rutte said.
From Barron's • Jul. 7, 2026
Asked afterwards what had changed for her, Osaka mentioned her coaching team and her mindset - as well as her mum's cooking.
From BBC • Jul. 5, 2026
He had this proprietary interest in “SNL” as his baby, but if you think about the mindset of most Hollywood players, it’s always bigger, faster, more.
From Salon • Jul. 5, 2026
“The shift in mindset taking place now is that defense has to be at the core and center of what we are doing,” Rutte said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 5, 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
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
