Meaning & use
be mindful of
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Meaning
phrasefixed phraseformal
to remember to pay careful attention to something, so you act in the right way
Grammar: Followed by a noun or an -ing form: be mindful of your health / be mindful of driving carefully.
Patterns
- be mindful of something
- be mindful of doing something
- be mindful that ...
Please be mindful of other passengers when you play music on the train.
Teachers should be mindful of the different needs in their classroom.
Be mindful that not everyone speaks English as a first language.
Common combinations
- be mindful of the risks
- Investors must be mindful of the risks before putting money in.
- be mindful of your health
- He tries to be mindful of his health by walking every day.
- be mindful of others
- Being mindful of others means thinking before you speak.
- be mindful of the time
- Be mindful of the time; we need to leave by five.
Synonyms and how they differ
- be aware of
- This means you know something exists or is happening; 'be mindful of' adds the idea of acting carefully because of it.
- pay attention to
- This focuses on watching or listening closely; 'be mindful of' is more about keeping something in mind in your behavior.
- be conscious of
- Similar, but often used for physical sensations or social impressions rather than deliberate care.
Opposites
Word family
- mindful adjective
- careful and aware; often used before a noun: a mindful approach.
- mindfulness noun
- the practice of paying calm attention to the present moment.
Commonly confused: be mindful of or mindful?
be mindful of vs mindful
As a single adjective, 'mindful' can mean 'aware' or relate to meditation; the phrase 'be mindful of' is specifically about acting with care.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'be mindful of' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Be mindful of' is followed by a noun or an -ing form, so 'the traffic' is correct. Options with 'to call', 'go', and 'that' use the wrong pattern.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “be mindful of”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.