open-mindedness

open-mindedness — noun

1. a willingness to listen to new or unfamiliar ideas and to seriously consider opi

1.nounB2
Definition

a willingness to listen to new or unfamiliar ideas and to seriously consider opinions that differ from your own, without rejecting them immediately

Example

Christopher showed real open-mindedness when he agreed to try the team's new scheduling system after hearing their reasons.

showed + open-mindedness; when-clause for context

Beatriz's open-mindedness about other cultures made her a wonderful travel companion on the trip to Morocco.

possessive + open-mindedness + about + [topic]

Common collocations
  • show open-mindedness
  • demonstrate open-mindedness
  • value open-mindedness
  • encourage open-mindedness
  • lack of open-mindedness
  • great open-mindedness
  • genuine open-mindedness
  • open-mindedness about
  • open-mindedness toward
Synonyms
  • openness

    broader term — can mean general transparency or frankness, not specifically about accepting new ideas

  • receptiveness

    focuses more narrowly on willingness to receive new information; slightly more formal

  • tolerance

    implies enduring or putting up with differences rather than genuinely welcoming them; carries a weaker positive connotation

  • broad-mindedness

    very close in meaning but slightly less common; emphasises freedom from prejudice

Antonyms
  • narrow-mindedness

    direct antonym — unwillingness to consider other viewpoints

  • bigotry

    stronger and more negative — active intolerance of other views or groups

  • closed-mindedness

    near-synonym of narrow-mindedness; refers to refusal to engage with new ideas

Grammar Patterns

[possessive] + open-mindedness + about + [topic]

open-mindedness + toward + [person/group]

Usage Note

Commonly paired with possessive determiners (her open-mindedness, their open-mindedness) or followed by the prepositions 'about' or 'toward' to specify the topic or the people involved. The adjective form 'open-minded' is more frequent in everyday conversation; the noun tends to appear in more reflective or formal contexts.

Common Mistakes

His open-mind helped him understand their point of view.
His open-mindedness helped him understand their point of view.
The noun form requires the '-ness' suffix; 'open mind' is a different construction with a different meaning (a mind that is not closed).
She has a strong open-mindedness to new technology.
She shows great open-mindedness toward new technology.
'Open-mindedness' is uncountable and takes 'much' or 'great', not 'a'; the preferred preposition is 'toward' not 'to'.

Word family

  • open-minded
    adjectiveB2
  • open-mindedly
    adverbC1
  • narrow-minded
    adjectiveB2
  • narrow-mindedness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

While 'open-mindedness' and 'openness' overlap considerably, 'openness' is the broader term — it can refer to frankness or transparency in communication (e.g., 'her openness about her struggles') as well as receptivity to ideas. 'Receptiveness' is more focused: it highlights the willingness to receive new information but doesn't necessarily imply active engagement with it. 'Tolerance' is weaker in a positive sense — you can tolerate something without welcoming it, whereas open-mindedness suggests genuine curiosity. 'Broad-mindedness' is the closest synonym, though it places slightly more emphasis on freedom from prejudice than on active curiosity. For example: 'Her open-mindedness led her to invite a speaker with opposing views' (active engagement), whereas 'His broad-mindedness meant he did not object to the new policy' (passive non-judgment).

openness ↗receptivenesstolerance ↗broad-mindedness

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • lack of open-mindedness
  • act of open-mindedness
  • open-mindedness and flexibility

Prepositions

Etymology

Old EnglishMiddle EnglishModern English

Formed by adding the suffix '-ness' (which turns adjectives into nouns meaning 'the state or quality of') to the compound adjective 'open-minded'. The adjective 'open-minded' first appeared in English in the early 19th century, combining 'open' (from Old English 'open', meaning 'not closed, accessible') with 'minded' (from the noun 'mind', of Germanic origin, meaning 'having a particular kind of mind'). The figurative use of 'open' to mean 'receptive to new ideas' dates back to the 16th century. The full noun form 'open-mindedness' became common in the 20th century as the concept was discussed in psychology, education, and political discourse.