mentality

noun

men·​tal·​i·​ty men-ˈta-lə-tē How to pronounce mentality (audio)
plural mentalities
1
: mental power or capacity : intelligence
2
: mode or way of thought : outlook
the imperialist mentality of the nineteenth centuryJohn Davies

Examples of mentality in a Sentence

most teenagers do not have the mentality to foresee the consequences of such risky behavior
Recent Examples on the Web The ‘defund the police’ mentality has sympathies on the current board. Destiny Torres, Orange County Register, 8 Mar. 2024 That sum-of-all-parts mentality Steve Kerr preaches? Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 Kansas Jayhawks big man Hunter Dickinson believes there’s been a recent shift in mentality among members of the KU men’s basketball team. Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 5 Mar. 2024 Still, Saweetie wants to shed that mentality moving forward, while being fully in the moment and invested in her thriving career. Michael Saponara, Billboard, 29 Feb. 2024 But that mentality is changing, according to Keith Henry, president and chief executive officer of the Indigenous Tourism Association of Canada. Sophy Roberts, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Feb. 2024 Final Thoughts In the end, establishing and achieving a left of sUAS launch mentality and operational focus is now an important part of security program development. Bill Edwards, Forbes, 16 Feb. 2024 Brown was asked if there is a way to replicate the Heat’s culture, which is defined by professionalism, toughness, fitness, consistency and a next-man-up mentality. Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 27 Feb. 2024 Their approach is based on the principle that each client receives the utmost attention, a rarity in a landscape often marred by a one-size-fits-all mentality. Nick Kasmik, USA TODAY, 23 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mentality.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1691, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of mentality was in 1691

Dictionary Entries Near mentality

Cite this Entry

“Mentality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mentality. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

mentality

noun
men·​tal·​i·​ty men-ˈtal-ət-ē How to pronounce mentality (audio)
plural mentalities
1
: mental power : intelligence
2
: a particular way of thinking : outlook

Medical Definition

mentality

noun
men·​tal·​i·​ty men-ˈtal-ət-ē How to pronounce mentality (audio)
plural mentalities
1
: mental power or capacity
2
: mode or way of thought

More from Merriam-Webster on mentality

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