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Meaning & use

attitude

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˈæt.ɪ.tjuːd/
US/ˈæt̬.ə.tuːd/

Meanings

  1. nouncountable

    A set way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, usually shown in how you behave.

    Grammar: Countable; usually followed by to or toward(s): her attitude to work.

    Patterns

    • attitude to/toward(s) something
    • a positive attitude
    • have an attitude to something

    A positive attitude makes difficult work easier.

    His attitude toward money changed after he started saving.

  2. noununcountableinformaldisapproving

    A rude, resentful, or uncooperative manner.

    Grammar: Uncountable; fixed phrases are 'give someone attitude' and 'an attitude problem.'

    Patterns

    • give someone attitude
    • an attitude problem
    • with attitude

    Don't give me attitude — just do your chores.

    The waiter had a real attitude problem.

  3. nouncountableliterary

    A position of the body, especially one chosen to express a feeling.

    Grammar: Countable; found mostly in literary descriptions.

    Patterns

    • strike an attitude

    The statue shows the hero in a noble attitude of defiance.

    She struck an attitude of deep thought, hand on her chin.

  4. nouncountablespecialist

    The orientation of an aircraft in relation to the horizon or the direction of flight.

    Grammar: Countable; a technical use in aviation.

    Patterns

    • the aircraft's attitude

    The instruments display the aircraft's attitude and heading.

    During a stall, the plane's nose drops and its attitude changes rapidly.

Word forms

pluralattitudes

Common combinations

positive attitude
A positive attitude helps when learning a language.
attitude to/toward
What is your attitude toward remote work?
bad attitude
He was dismissed for his bad attitude.
attitude problem
The coach warned him about his attitude problem.
change someone's attitude
The trip completely changed her attitude toward travel.

Synonyms and how they differ

outlook
Your general way of seeing life or a situation; outlook is broader and less tied to momentary behavior.
mindset
The established set of attitudes that shapes how you approach tasks and challenges.
opinion
A belief or judgment about a specific matter; attitude covers feelings and behavior too.

Word family

attitudinal adjective
Relating to attitudes; rare in everyday English.

Commonly confused: attitude or aptitude? attitude or altitude?

attitude vs aptitude

Aptitude is a natural ability to do something well, as in an aptitude for math; attitude is how you think or feel.

attitude vs altitude

Altitude is height above sea level; it differs from attitude by only two letters and is easy to mistype.

Practice

The school encourages students to develop a positive attitude ___ learning.

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