Idioms about mind are English’s secret code for talking about the invisible: thoughts, decisions, and even sanity. When simple words aren’t enough, native speakers turn to this rich collection of expressions.
Have you ever had ‘something on your mind’ but didn’t know how to express the feeling? This guide will explore this figurative language, helping you not only understand English better but also how we articulate the very process of thinking.
Best Idioms About Mind
1. Bear in mind
Meaning: To remember or consider something when making a decision or thinking about a situation.
In a Sentence:
When planning the trip, bear in mind that traffic will be heavy on holidays.
Please bear in mind her previous experience when assigning tasks.
Other Ways to Say: Keep in mind, Remember, Consider, Take into account
2. Change your mind
Meaning: To alter your opinion or decision.
In a Sentence:
I was going to order pizza, but I changed my mind and decided on pasta.
She might change her mind about moving once she visits the new city.
Other Ways to Say: Reconsider, Alter one’s opinion, Reverse a decision, Have a change of heart
3. Know your own mind
Meaning: To be firm and clear about what you want or believe.
In a Sentence:
She knows her own mind and won’t be easily swayed by others’ opinions.
It’s important to know your own mind when making big career choices.
Other Ways to Say: Be resolute, Be decisive, Be firm, Have strong convictions
4. Make up your mind
Meaning: To decide something.
In a Sentence:
Come on, make up your mind! Do you want to go or stay?
It took her a long time to make up her mind about which university to attend.
Other Ways to Say: Decide, Choose, Come to a decision, Resolve
5. Be in two minds
Meaning: To be undecided about something.
In a Sentence:
I’m in two minds about whether to take the job offer or continue my studies.
She was in two minds about buying the expensive dress.
Other Ways to Say: Undecided, Hesitating, Unsure, Conflicted
6. Brain like a sieve
Meaning: To have a bad memory and forget things easily.
In a Sentence:
I can never remember names; I have a brain like a sieve.
He apologized for forgetting the appointment, claiming his brain was like a sieve.
Other Ways to Say: Forgetful, Poor memory, Absent-minded, Scatterbrained
7. Cross your mind
Meaning: For a thought or idea to occur to you.
In a Sentence:
It never crossed my mind that he might be lying.
Did it ever cross your mind to ask for help?
Other Ways to Say: Occur to, Enter one’s thoughts, Think of, Consider
8. Have an open mind
Meaning: To be willing to consider new ideas or opinions.
In a Sentence:
It’s important to have an open mind when trying new experiences.
She always tries to have an open mind about different cultures.
Other Ways to Say: Be receptive, Be broad-minded, Be tolerant, Be flexible
9. Mind your own business
Meaning: To not interfere in other people’s affairs.
In a Sentence:
He told the nosy neighbor to mind her own business.
I prefer to mind my own business and let others live their lives.
Other Ways to Say: Stay out of it, Don’t interfere, Keep to yourself, Be discreet
10. On your mind
Meaning: Preoccupying your thoughts or worries.
In a Sentence:
You look worried; what’s on your mind?
Her upcoming presentation has been on her mind all week.
Other Ways to Say: Preoccupied, Worried, Concerned, Troubled
11. A load off your mind
Meaning: A great relief from worry or anxiety.
In a Sentence:
Paying off the last of her student loans was a huge load off her mind.
Confessing the truth was a load off his mind.
Other Ways to Say: Relief, Burden lifted, Sense of ease, Less worry
12. Great minds think alike
Meaning: Said when two people have the same idea or thought simultaneously.
In a Sentence:
“I was just about to suggest that!” “Great minds think alike!”
We both arrived at the same solution independently; great minds think alike.
Other Ways to Say: Similar thoughts, Coincidence of ideas, Shared insights
13. Have something in mind
Meaning: To have a plan, idea, or intention.
In a Sentence:
What do you have in mind for dinner tonight?
She had something special in mind for his birthday gift.
Other Ways to Say: Plan, Intend, Consider, Envision
14. Last thing on your mind
Meaning: Something that you are least concerned about or thinking about.
In a Sentence:
With all the stress of moving, going on vacation was the last thing on my mind.
After losing his job, buying a new car was the last thing on his mind.
Other Ways to Say: Not a priority, Unimportant, Irrelevant, Far from one’s thoughts
15. Make up one’s mind
Meaning: To decide something. (Repeat of “Make up your mind” but with ‘one’s’ for generality).
In a Sentence:
He needs to make up his mind soon if he wants to join the team.
It’s hard for her to make up her mind when there are so many options.
Other Ways to Say: Decide, Choose, Come to a decision, Resolve
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Change: Adapting to New Paths
16. My mind went blank
Meaning: To be unable to think of anything, often due to stress or surprise.
In a Sentence:
When the teacher called on me, my mind went blank and I couldn’t remember the answer.
Facing the audience, his mind went blank, and he forgot his lines.
Other Ways to Say: Forget everything, Draw a blank, Be unable to recall, Lose one’s train of thought
17. Out of your mind
Meaning: Insane or crazy; also, to be extremely upset or worried.
In a Sentence:
You must be out of your mind to drive in this weather!
She was out of her mind with worry when her child didn’t come home.
Other Ways to Say: Crazy, Insane, Mad, Distraught, Beside oneself
18. Put your mind to something
Meaning: To concentrate on something with determination and effort.
In a Sentence:
If you really put your mind to it, you can achieve anything.
She put her mind to learning French and became fluent in a year.
Other Ways to Say: Focus on, Concentrate on, Apply oneself to, Dedicate oneself to
19. Slip your mind
Meaning: To be forgotten, especially unintentionally.
In a Sentence:
I’m sorry, our appointment completely slipped my mind.
It must have slipped his mind to call me back.
Other Ways to Say: Forget, Escape one’s memory, Fail to remember, Overlook
20. Take your mind off something
Meaning: To help you stop thinking about something unpleasant or worrying.
In a Sentence:
Let’s go for a walk to take your mind off your troubles.
Reading a good book helps me take my mind off stress.
Other Ways to Say: Distract, Divert, Occupy, Relieve stress
21. A light bulb moment
Meaning: A moment of sudden realization, inspiration, or understanding.
In a Sentence:
When he finally understood the complex equation, it was a real light bulb moment.
The inventor had a light bulb moment while taking a shower.
Other Ways to Say: Epiphany, Eureka moment, Breakthrough, Insight
22. Blue-sky thinking
Meaning: Creative thinking that is not limited by current realities or practical considerations.
In a Sentence:
For this brainstorming session, we need some pure blue-sky thinking, no limits!
They encouraged blue-sky thinking to come up with truly innovative solutions.
Other Ways to Say: Creative thinking, Unconstrained thinking, Out-of-the-box thinking, Innovative ideas
23. Bring to mind
Meaning: To cause someone to remember something or someone.
In a Sentence:
That song always brings to mind my college days.
Her story brought to mind a similar incident from my own life.
Other Ways to Say: Remind of, Recall, Evoke, Call to mind
24. Come to mind
Meaning: To be thought of or remembered; to occur to one.
In a Sentence:
When I think of summer, beaches and ice cream always come to mind.
What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you hear “freedom”?
Other Ways to Say: Occur, Be recalled, Be remembered, Spring to mind
25. Blow your mind
Meaning: To amaze, impress, or excite someone greatly.
In a Sentence:
The special effects in the movie will absolutely blow your mind.
His incredible talent for playing the guitar truly blew my mind.
Other Ways to Say: Astound, Stun, Impress greatly, Awe, Overwhelm
26. Mind over matter
Meaning: The power of the mind to control the body or overcome physical problems.
In a Sentence:
Running the marathon was a true test of mind over matter.
She believes that with enough determination, it’s simply a case of mind over matter.
Other Ways to Say: Mental strength, Willpower, Determination, Self-control
27. Lose your mind
Meaning: To become insane or extremely angry/upset.
In a Sentence:
If I have to listen to that music one more time, I’m going to lose my mind.
He nearly lost his mind worrying about the test results.
Other Ways to Say: Go crazy, Go insane, Go mad, Become distraught
28. Keep an open mind
Meaning: To be receptive to new ideas and opinions (same as ‘have an open mind’).
In a Sentence:
It’s always good to keep an open mind when exploring different perspectives.
Please keep an open mind during the presentation; don’t judge it too quickly.
Other Ways to Say: Be receptive, Be broad-minded, Be tolerant, Be flexible
29. Mind like a steel trap
Meaning: To have an excellent memory and be able to remember details accurately.
In a Sentence:
Don’t try to trick him; he has a mind like a steel trap.
She remembers every conversation; her mind is like a steel trap.
Other Ways to Say: Excellent memory, Sharp memory, Retentive memory, Good recall
30. In the back of your mind
Meaning: A thought or idea that you are aware of but not actively thinking about.
In a Sentence:
The possibility of failure was always at the back of her mind.
He had a nagging feeling in the back of his mind that he had forgotten something important.
Other Ways to Say: Subconsciously aware, Lingering thought, Underlying concern, Present but not prominent
31. Speak your mind
Meaning: To say exactly what you think, even if it might be unpopular or cause offense.
In a Sentence:
He’s known for always speaking his mind, regardless of the consequences.
It’s important to speak your mind respectfully in a professional setting.
Other Ways to Say: Be frank, Be candid, Express one’s opinion, Say what you think
32. Mind your Ps and Qs
Meaning: To be careful about your behavior and manners; to be polite.
In a Sentence:
When you meet her parents, make sure to mind your Ps and Qs.
The teacher reminded the students to mind their Ps and Qs during the school trip.
Other Ways to Say: Behave properly, Be polite, Observe etiquette, Be careful what you say/do
33. A meeting of minds
Meaning: An agreement or understanding reached by two or more people.
In a Sentence: After much discussion, there was finally a meeting of minds on the new strategy. Their collaboration was successful because there was a true meeting of minds.
Other Ways to Say: Agreement, Consensus, Mutual understanding, Accord
34. Out of sight, out of mind
Meaning: Something that is not seen or present is easily forgotten.
In a Sentence:
They quickly forgot about the old toys once they were put away; out of sight, out of mind.
He believes in the principle “out of sight, out of mind” when dealing with past relationships.
Other Ways to Say: Easily forgotten, Ignored when not present, Forgotten quickly
35. Mind the gap
Meaning: Be careful of the space between the train and the platform (literal); also, pay attention to any potential danger or difference (figurative).
In a Sentence:
A recording on the subway constantly reminds passengers to mind the gap.
When transitioning careers, it’s crucial to mind the gap between your current skills and what’s required.
Other Ways to Say: Be careful, Pay attention, Watch out, Beware of the difference
Related Post: 50 Idioms for Hair with Style and Sass
36. Give someone a piece of your mind
Meaning: To express your anger or annoyance to someone directly.
In a Sentence:
After waiting for an hour, she decided to go to the manager and give him a piece of her mind.
He was so frustrated that he wanted to give his noisy neighbors a piece of his mind.
Other Ways to Say: Scold, Reprimand, Confront angrily, Tell off
37. Read someone’s mind
Meaning: To know what someone else is thinking without them expressing it.
In a Sentence:
I was just about to say that – did you read my mind?
Sometimes I feel like my best friend can read my mind.
Other Ways to Say: Predict thoughts, Know instinctively, Understand unspoken thoughts
38. Weigh on your mind
Meaning: To cause someone to worry or feel burdened.
In a Sentence:
The unfinished report has been weighing on my mind all weekend.
His financial troubles weighed heavily on his mind.
Other Ways to Say: Burden, Trouble, Concern, Worry, Preoccupy
39. Pick someone’s brain
Meaning: To ask someone for information or ideas because they know a lot about a subject.
In a Sentence:
Can I pick your brain about your experience in starting a business?
I’d love to pick your brain on the best strategies for digital marketing.
Other Ways to Say: Get advice from, Consult, Ask for ideas, Tap into knowledge
40. Have a one-track mind
Meaning: To think about one thing exclusively, often to an excessive degree.
In a Sentence:
Ever since he bought that new car, he has a one-track mind; that’s all he talks about.
When it comes to her career, she has a one-track mind and is completely focused.
Other Ways to Say: Obsessed, Focused, Preoccupied, Single-minded
41. Mind-boggling
Meaning: Extremely difficult to understand or imagine; astonishing.
In a Sentence:
The sheer size of the universe is mind-boggling.
The amount of data they processed was mind-boggling.
Other Ways to Say: Astounding, Staggering, Incredible, Perplexing, Confounding
42. Frame of mind
Meaning: A person’s mood or general state of mind at a particular time.
In a Sentence:
You need to be in a positive frame of mind to tackle this challenge.
He wasn’t in the right frame of mind to discuss serious matters.
Other Ways to Say: Mood, Temperament, Disposition, State of mind
43. State of mind
Meaning: A person’s mental condition or emotional mood. (Very similar to ‘frame of mind’).
In a Sentence:
His relaxed state of mind allowed him to perform well under pressure.
The artist’s work often reflects her current state of mind.
Other Ways to Say: Mood, Mental state, Frame of mind, Emotional condition
44. Presence of mind
Meaning: The ability to think clearly and act quickly and appropriately in a difficult situation.
In a Sentence:
It took great presence of mind to react so quickly and avoid the accident.
Her presence of mind saved everyone when the fire alarm went off.
Other Ways to Say: Quick thinking, Composure, Self-possession, Alertness
45. Mind your manners
Meaning: To be polite and well-behaved.
In a Sentence:
When visiting your grandparents, make sure to mind your manners.
The children were told to mind their manners at the formal dinner.
Other Ways to Say: Behave properly, Be polite, Show good etiquette, Be courteous
46. Go out of your mind
Meaning: To become crazy or extremely upset/worried. (Similar to ‘out of your mind’).
In a Sentence:
She’s going out of her mind waiting for the test results.
If I have to listen to that noise much longer, I’ll go out of my mind.
Other Ways to Say: Go insane, Go crazy, Become distraught, Lose one’s sanity
47. Clear your mind
Meaning: To relax and stop worrying or thinking about stressful things.
In a Sentence:
A walk in nature helps me clear my mind after a busy week.
Take a few deep breaths to clear your mind before the exam.
Other Ways to Say: Relax, De-stress, Unwind, Focus, Empty your mind
48. In your right mind
Meaning: Sane; thinking clearly and rationally. (Often used in negative constructions).
In a Sentence:
No one in their right mind would agree to such a dangerous plan.
Are you in your right mind? That’s a terrible idea!
Other Ways to Say: Sane, Rational, Reasonable, Of sound mind
49. Mind-blowing
Meaning: Extremely impressive, astonishing, or exciting.
In a Sentence:
The special effects in the movie were absolutely mind-blowing.
Her performance was truly mind-blowing; I’ve never seen anything like it.
Other Ways to Say: Amazing, Astounding, Incredible, Spectacular, Breathtaking
50. Keep your mind sharp
Meaning: To stay mentally alert and intelligent.
In a Sentence:
Doing puzzles and reading helps me keep my mind sharp as I get older.
Engaging in new hobbies is a great way to keep your mind sharp.
Other Ways to Say: Stay mentally active, Maintain cognitive function, Stay alert, Keep intelligent
Exercise to Practice – Idioms About Mind
- When you’re planning your budget, remember to _________________________ the upcoming holiday expenses.
- I just can’t _________________________ where to go for my vacation this year.
- She rarely forgets anything; she really has a _________________________.
- After weeks of procrastination, he finally decided to _________________________ and start his own business.
- It never even _________________________ that I could ask for a raise.
- The amount of data in the universe is truly _________________________.
- He was so upset that he was practically _________________________ with worry.
- I had to take a long walk to _________________________ after the stressful meeting.
- She always knows what she wants; she really _________________________.
- Talking to my old friends helps me _________________________ the good old days.
Answer Key
- bear in mind
- make up my mind
- mind like a steel trap
- take the bit between his teeth
- crossed my mind
- mind-boggling
- out of his mind
- clear my mind
- knows her own mind
- bring to mind
Conclusion
Having explored the rich world of Idioms About Mind, we’ve seen how these expressions vividly portray thoughts, emotions, and perceptions, enriching communication and reflecting subtle human interactions. Now, confidently integrate these mind idioms into your conversations. Their skillful use will enhance your fluency and cultural understanding, becoming powerful tools to connect effectively.
Danny Weber is a language enthusiast and freelance writer with a passion for unpacking the beauty of idioms and metaphors. Through years of research and creative exploration, Danny helps readers understand the deeper meanings behind familiar phrases—making figurative language feel accessible, engaging, and alive. Whether he’s decoding classic sayings or crafting new twists on old expressions, Danny’s work invites you to see language with fresh eyes.
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