Synonyms

mindset

American

[mahynd-set] / ˈmaɪndˌsɛt /

Or mind-set

noun

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:

mentality vs. mindset

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.

Robinson epitomized Sierra Canyon’s “refuse to lose” mindset.

From Los Angeles Times

“The company obviously has to translate those into successful launches, but it’s a different kind of mindset these days when I meet with analysts and investors,” Barr continued.

From Barron's

It was a mindset shared by his manager.

From BBC

When he came on against Forest, was the mindset to make a statement?

From BBC

“Manifest Destiny gets coined as a term, and you had this nationalist, expansionist mindset.”

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023