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Meaning & use

mind's eye

noun·Everyday

Last updated

UK/ˌmaɪndz ˈaɪ/
US/ˌmaɪndz ˈaɪ/

Meanings

  1. nounsingular

    The part of your imagination where you picture people, places, or events that you cannot see right now.

    Grammar: Used with the or a possessive: in my mind's eye, in the mind's eye. It is not used in the plural.

    Patterns

    • in someone's mind's eye
    • in the mind's eye
    • see something in your mind's eye
    • picture something in your mind's eye

    She could still see her grandmother's kitchen in her mind's eye.

    In my mind's eye, the old house is always sunny, even though I know it rained most of that summer.

    Close your eyes and picture the scene in your mind's eye.

  2. nounsingular

    A person's ability to imagine or remember images clearly.

    Grammar: Often follows verbs such as see or picture; it refers to the faculty itself rather than one picture.

    Patterns

    • have a vivid mind's eye
    • in the mind's eye of someone

    As a designer, she has a very vivid mind's eye.

    His mind's eye is so sharp that he can draw a street after walking down it once.

Common combinations

in your mind's eye
In your mind's eye, try to see the finished garden.
see something in your mind's eye
He could see her face in his mind's eye.
picture something in your mind's eye
Picture the crowd in your mind's eye before you speak.
a vivid mind's eye
Painters often have a vivid mind's eye.
in the mind's eye
The poem describes a childhood home in the mind's eye.

Synonyms and how they differ

imagination
Broader and more neutral; it covers all creative thinking, while mind's eye suggests actual pictures in your head.
memory
Use memory for things you truly remember; mind's eye can also be used for scenes you invent.

Word family

mind noun
The part of you that thinks, feels, and remembers.
mindful adjective
Careful and aware of something.
mind's-eye view noun
A picture of something as imagined rather than seen.

Commonly confused: mind's eye or mindset? mind's eye or minds?

mind's eye vs mindset

Mindset means a fixed way of thinking or a set of attitudes; mind's eye is about picturing images in your imagination.

mind's eye vs minds

Minds is simply the plural of mind, so 'minds eye' is a spelling mistake for mind's eye.

Practice

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