To save this word, you'll need to log in.
Definition of bunker mentality
: a state of mind especially among members of a group that is characterized by chauvinistic defensiveness and self-righteous intolerance of criticism
Examples of bunker mentality in a Sentence
Faced with the threat of scandal, the company adopted a bunker mentality and refused to talk with reporters.
Recent Examples on the Web There was widespread bullying of staff and a bunker mentality among senior management; 39% of employees developed mental or physical health issues as a result of their work.
—
The Economist, "Charity begins at work," 6 June 2019 The bunker mentality of nuclear engineers has been matched by the hysteria of some antinuclear campaigning.
—
Fred Pearce, Time, "How the 'Compulsive Secrecy’ of the Atomic Age Has Changed the Way We Think," 22 May 2018 That old bunker mentality apparently cannot be surgically repaired.
—
David Whitley, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Tiger Woods 2.0 deserves respect, not adoration," 3 Apr. 2018 Although Zuckerberg assumed more responsibility for mistakes in his Wednesday press tour, there were signs of a bunker mentality forming among Facebook's rank-and-file.
—
Tracey Lien, latimes.com, "Silicon Valley played by a different set of rules. Facebook’s crisis could put an end to that," 23 Mar. 2018 Greenwald’s bunker mentality makes his Russia skepticism especially intuitive.
—
Simon Van Zuylen-wood, Daily Intelligencer, "Does This Man Know More Than Robert Mueller?," 21 Jan. 2018 Observers say the move reflects a possible deepening of a bunker mentality as the country is besieged by international criticism over what the U.N. has labeled an ethnic cleansing campaign.
—
Laignee Barron, Time, "Myanmar Blacklists a U.N. Rights Investigator as Genocide Accusations Intensify," 21 Dec. 2017
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'bunker mentality.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
Comments on bunker mentality
What made you want to look up bunker mentality? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
May 2020 Words of the Day Quiz
- Which is a synonym of exiguous?
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Share bunker mentality
Time Traveler for bunker mentality
The first known use of bunker mentality was in 1974
See more words from the same year