Meaning & use
mantras
Last updated
“mantras” is a form of “mantra”. See that entry for the full set of meanings.
Meanings
nouncountable
A word or sound repeated many times to help concentration in meditation.
Grammar: Countable; plural is mantras. Often used with 'repeat' or 'chant'.
Patterns
- repeat a mantra
- chant a mantra
During meditation, she silently repeated a mantra.
The monks chanted mantras for hours.
He uses a simple mantra to calm his mind.
nouncountable
A statement or slogan repeated frequently to express a belief or goal.
Grammar: Countable; often used in business or self-help contexts.
Patterns
- a personal mantra
- a business mantra
His personal mantra is 'never give up'.
The company's mantra is 'customer first'.
She repeats her mantra whenever she feels stressed.
Word forms
| singular | mantra |
|---|
Common combinations
- repeat a mantra
- He repeats a mantra to focus.
- chant a mantra
- They chant a mantra together.
- personal mantra
- Her personal mantra keeps her motivated.
- business mantra
- The business mantra is to innovate.
Synonyms and how they differ
Word family
- mantric adjective
- Relating to or characteristic of a mantra.
Commonly confused: mantras or mantel?
mantras vs mantel
Mantel is the shelf above a fireplace; mantra is a repeated word or phrase.
Practice
In meditation, people often ________ a mantra to help them focus.
Choose one answer.
'Repeat' is the most natural verb with 'mantra' meaning to say it over and over. 'Say' is too general and does not imply repetition.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “mantras”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.