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

• brain(s)
• brainpower
• gray matter
• headpiece
• intellect
• intellectuality
• intelligence
• reason
• sense
• smarts

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

Foundation ownership challenges traditional shareholder capitalism's profit-first mentality and is gaining recognition as a viable way to control large public companies. —Tima Bansal, Forbes.com, 26 May 2025

Trump ‘dropping the guilt-by-issuance mentality’ Jeff Ifrah, a veteran gaming and crypto lawyer, said the administration is shedding a central legal theory from the Biden years: that simply launching a token could constitute a regulatory violation. —Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 24 May 2025

The look is in stark defiance of a proliferating security mentality in schools to stop active shooters. —Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 23 May 2025

One way to understand that unquenchable mentality is that he’s proven virtually immune even to complacency. —Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1691, 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