presence of mind

noun phrase

: self-control so maintained in an emergency or in an embarrassing situation that one can say or do the right thing

Examples of presence of mind 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.
Though unprepared, Betsy said the couple had the presence of mind to grab their prescriptions, passports and election ballots. Kyle Martin, The Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2024 Williams initially bobbled a deep pass in the third quarter but had enough presence of mind to tip it with his right hand to keep it in the air, spin around to locate the ball, and then catch it for a 54-yard gain. Andrew Greif, NBC News, 29 Sep. 2024 Trump’s presence of mind and sense of the moment, after having just been nearly killed and perhaps while still in mortal peril, speak to his natural talents and instincts as a politician and populist symbol. The Editors, National Review, 14 July 2024 Merz had the presence of mind to crawl from underneath the car and switch off the engine to prevent an explosion. Dawn Mitchell, The Indianapolis Star, 22 May 2024 Falling out of bounds, the fifth-year veteran had the presence of mind to call a timeout to set up his shot, which eventually served as the dagger. Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 5 Jan. 2024 Poetry is a path back and away from that mind-set and toward a presence of mind and concentration that fosters possibility. New York Times, 16 Nov. 2023 May the Lord grant me the presence of mind to accept my mid-thirties friends’ hectic lives and the nerve to ask them to be just slightly flexible but, like, no worries if not. Irving Ruan, The New Yorker, 28 July 2023 However, the teen had the presence of mind to grab a stick and begin hitting the animal. Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 26 June 2023

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1624, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of presence of mind was circa 1624

Dictionary Entries Near presence of mind

Cite this Entry

“Presence of mind.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/presence%20of%20mind. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

presence of mind

: ability to think clearly and act quickly in an emergency
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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