Meaning & use
to be open-minded
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Meaning
phraselinking
to be willing to consider new ideas, opinions, or ways of doing things without judging them too quickly.
Grammar: Used with be: 'She is open-minded.' It describes a lasting attitude, not a single action.
Patterns
- be open-minded about something
- be open-minded to something
- be open-minded toward something
Try to be open-minded about the new plan; it might work better than you think.
She's very open-minded and enjoys learning about other cultures.
The manager was open-minded to suggestions from the whole team.
Word forms
| noun | open-mindedness |
|---|---|
| adverb | open-mindedly |
Common combinations
- be open-minded about
- You should be open-minded about trying new foods.
- an open-minded person
- An open-minded person listens before they disagree.
- keep an open mind
- Keep an open mind when you read the report.
- open-minded approach
- The school takes an open-minded approach to teaching methods.
Synonyms and how they differ
- receptive
- Receptive means you are ready to accept ideas, often in a specific situation; open-minded is broader and about your general attitude.
- tolerant
- Tolerant focuses on accepting differences without complaining; open-minded focuses on being willing to consider new ideas.
Opposites
Word family
- open-mindedness noun
- The quality of being willing to consider new ideas.
- open-mindedly adverb
- In a way that shows willingness to consider new ideas.
Commonly confused: to be open-minded or open-hearted?
to be open-minded vs open-hearted
Open-hearted means kind and generous; open-minded means willing to consider different ideas.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'open-minded' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Open-minded' is an adjective describing a person's attitude, so 'She is open-minded about...' is correct. The other options use it as a verb or in a way that doesn't match its meaning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “to be open-minded”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.