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

Even so, there remained faint hope that Lost Campaign would somehow survive when Suggs, the starting point guard and heart and soul of the team’s defense-first mentality, returned from injury. —Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel, 2 Mar. 2025

The moment has been so baked into America's cultural cake that Tea Party Republicans parrot the phrase, not realizing that the film is a satire of sheep mentality and the man who authored it (screenwriter Paddy Chayefsky) was a political lefty. —EW.com, 2 Mar. 2025

Skipping over the details, always the ‘get them next time’ mentality. —Evan Sidery, Forbes, 28 Feb. 2025

Mez kept the same mentality when electing to move from Sacramento to Los Angeles in September 2022. —Marcus D. Smith, Sacramento Bee, 28 Feb. 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