mentality

noun

men·​tal·​i·​ty men-ˈta-lə-tē 

plural mentalities

1

: mental power or capacity : intelligence

2

: mode or way of thought : outlook

… the imperialist mentality of the nineteenth century.

—John Davies

Synonyms of mentality

• sense
• intelligence
• intellect
• reason

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

Now in her third season with the Huskies, Shade has fully embraced the mentality Auriemma preaches, that the best players are the ones who can impact the game without scoring. —Emily Adams, Hartford Courant, 23 Mar. 2026

This is the feedback loop and Filipinos internalized what, in Filipino American psychological circles, is deemed a colonial mentality. —Lisa Deaderick, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Mar. 2026

That same mentality applies to his pain tolerance. —Shreyas Laddha, Kansas City Star, 20 Mar. 2026

That’s a seismic shift in the mentality. —Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 20 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1856, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing mentality

• bunker mentality
• herd mentality
• siege mentality
• victim mentality

Rhymes for mentality

• banality
• bestiality
• brutality
• carnality
• centrality
• chirality
• duality
• fatality
• finality
• formality
• frugality
• legality

Kids Definition

mentality

noun

men·​tal·​i·​ty men-ˈtal-ət-ē 

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 

plural mentalities

1

: mental power or capacity

2

: mode or way of thought