mindset

noun

mind·​set ˈmīn(d)-ˌset 

variants or less commonly mind-set

plural mindsets also mind-sets

1

: a mental attitude or inclination

politicians trying to determine the mindset of voters

It isn't only the freshness of the fruit that makes breakfast in California restaurants outstanding. It's an attitude, a morning mindset, a desire to start the day in a leisurely, luxurious manner.

—Jane and Michael Stern

2

: a fixed state of mind

His mind-set does not allow for new situations.

The German military thought they were being honorable, and this wasn't an excuse—this was their complete mindset.

—William Vollman

Examples of mindset in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This is a movie designed to repulse as much attract, and one in which its sheer messiness, its chaos-Muppet energy and its mania gets you uncomfortably close to its unraveling main character’s mindset. —David Fear, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025

These experiences cultivated a mindset attuned to complexity and dependable systems. —Jason Phillips, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025

While speaking about her mental health in an interview with the Radio Times in September, Wood said acting has ultimately shifted her mindset. —Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 6 Nov. 2025

But even beyond technical know-how, experts say the right mindset can make the biggest difference. —Preston Fore, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025

In this conversation with Interesting Engineering, Elbasyouni reflects on his path from a curious kid who hacked radios to a leader in aerospace innovation, the lessons learned from startups and deep-space engineering, and the mindset needed to break through barriers, technical and otherwise. —Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 4 Nov. 2025

The approach is in character for Google, which has historically looked for ways to lower hardware costs in data centers with a practical engineering mindset. —Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2025

Fanning is a sprightly breath of fresh air, winsomely cutting through the grit-and-honor stolidity of the Predator mindset. —Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025

Rodriguez, on the other hand, comes to ownership with an athlete’s mindset. —Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 4 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for mindset

• abet
• asset
• baguette
• banquette
• barbette
• beget
• beset
• brevet
• briquette
• brunet
• brunette
• burette

Medical Definition

mindset

noun

mind·​set

variants also mind-set

ˈmīn(d)-ˌset 

: a mental inclination, tendency, or habit