herd mentality

noun

: the tendency of the people in a group to think and behave in ways that conform with others in the group rather than as individuals
Stock investors, riveted by recent market gyrations, need to resist emotional responses and the herd mentality when investing …Ken Schachter

Examples of herd mentality in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
One argued that what Janis took to be a herd mentality might just as well be seen as deliberate, venal compliance. David Merritt Johns, The Atlantic, 2 Nov. 2025 Common biases include herd mentality, overconfidence, confirmation bias, loss aversion, and anchoring. Chris Stevens, Nashville Tennessean, 19 Oct. 2025 Most definitions describe this kind of phenomenon as featuring a sharp decline in funding, and a herd mentality that considers the technology to be overhyped, and less popular or relevant in the future. John Werner, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025 Panic selling is seldom based on rational analysis; rather, it is typically triggered by fear, uncertainty, and a herd mentality. True Tamplin, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1920, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of herd mentality was in 1920

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Cite this Entry

“Herd mentality.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/herd%20mentality. Accessed 12 Nov. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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