state of mind
Americanidiom
-
a person’s mental or emotional condition, especially at a given point in time.
Subtle touches like scratched-out mistakes and underlined words can give us insight into the author’s state of mind while she was writing.
The state of mind or mental stability of the defendant also needs to be taken into consideration.
-
a general outlook on life, the world, the future, etc..
Youth is not a time of life; it is a state of mind.
Marriage is a state of mind and a way of life.
Etymology
Origin of state of mind
First recorded in 1630–40
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.
“I don’t even know what kind of a state of mind that is, other than to say that you must be kind of in a state of denial.”
From Slate ● Nov. 12, 2026
The focus is on what they are alleged to have physically done - not their state of mind at the time.
From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026
Here’s a look at his ideal Sunday, with a bit of a New York-L.A. state of mind.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
In 1998 she wrote the seminal essay on official Washington’s state of mind during Ken Starr’s investigation into Bill Clinton.
From Salon ● Jul. 21, 2026
He may make a million snap judgments about a customer’s needs and state of mind, but he tries never to judge anyone on the basis of his or her appearance.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.
