siege mentality

noun

1. a state of mind whereby one believes that one is being constantly attacked, oppressed, or isolated.

siege mentality

noun

1. a state of mind in which a person believes that he or she is being constantly oppressed or attacked

Word History and Origins

Origin of siege mentality¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

The controversies surrounding Horner - the allegations; his volatile relationship with Verstappen's father Jos; questions about the driver's future; the drip-drip exodus of major figures - had led to something of a siege mentality at Red Bull.

From BBC

Gatland had talked about looking to block out the negativity, creating a siege mentality and warning people to "write Wales off at their peril".

From BBC

Pre-tournament comments have included how he believes Wales can win the tournament, how he is building "a siege mentality" and how people should write his side off "at their peril".

From BBC

This kind of siege mentality has become the official posture of the right since the rise of Trump.

From Salon

In Tim Alberta’s new book, “The Kingdom, the Power and the Glory,” he explains that many evangelical Christians have developed, in the words of the rightist Southern Baptist pastor Robert Jeffress, an “under siege” mentality that has allowed them to embrace Trump, whose decadent curriculum vitae runs counter to many of their stated values.

From Seattle Times