open-minded
Americanadjective
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having or showing a mind receptive to new ideas or arguments.
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unprejudiced; unbigoted; impartial.
adjective
Other Word Forms
- open-mindedly adverb
- open-mindedness noun
Etymology
Origin of open-minded
First recorded in 1820–30
Explanation
If you're open-minded, you're willing to consider new ideas. An open-minded voter doesn't always stick to his or her political party and instead considers the opinions of candidates from both parties. (Finding an open-minded voter is a bit like trying to find a unicorn. Good luck.) When you've got a serious dilemma — say your two best friends aren't speaking to each other — it's usually helpful to ask an open-minded person for advice. Open-minded people can consider a problem from both sides, without injecting their own opinions or biases, and can often point you in the right direction. Open-minded is first recorded in the 1820s, from the popular figurative meaning of open (think "openhearted").
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.
That’s understandable, but you need to let that go and be the most openhearted and, yes, open-minded friend you can be.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 13, 2026
In that context, I think it is normal and reasonable for open-minded people to be skeptical and curious about what’s actually in these other 3 million pages of documents.
From Slate • Feb. 4, 2026
Despite not having had a formal education, Daniel said he and his wife, Melody, built a solid life on hard work and effort, which allowed them to be open-minded about Mia’s decision.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 3, 2026
Another reason is the overall transformation in many Muslim nations, where excesses of radical rule caused widespread revulsion just as a new, more open-minded and globally connected generation grew up.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 3, 2026
If this is the prospect, or anything like this, all ideas about better ways to speed things up should be given open-minded, close scrutiny.
From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas
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.
