Attitude
/ˈætɪˌtud/
nounB1
Definition
Attitude means a person's way of thinking or feeling about something. It can affect how they act or respond. For example, someone with a positive attitude feels hopeful and happy, while a negative attitude means they feel unhappy or doubtful.
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⚡ See It in Action
A person's way of thinking or feeling about something
- •She has a positive attitude toward learning new languages.
- •His attitude about the project changed after he saw the results.
- •Teachers appreciate students with a good attitude in class.
The way a person behaves that shows their feelings or opinions
- •His rude attitude made people avoid talking to him.
- •You can tell her attitude by the way she answers questions.
- •Changing your attitude can help you make new friends.
🧲 Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "attitude" like "feeling," but it also includes how you show that feeling through your actions or words.
- ✓Picture a person smiling and standing tall — this shows a confident attitude.
- ✓It's the feeling you have when you decide to try your best or give up easily.
- ✓Sounds like "at-ti-TOOD" → imagine someone with a "good" or "bad" mood showing how they think.
- ✓Think of a character in a movie who is always cheerful and brave — their attitude helps them face problems.
- ✓NOT like "mood" (which changes quickly), attitude is more about your usual way of thinking or feeling.
- ✓NOT like "behavior" (just what you do), attitude is the reason or feeling behind your behavior.
🔄 Try Other Words
- •Mindset: the way someone thinks about things (Use when talking about a fixed way of thinking or approach)
- •Approach: the way someone deals with a situation (Use when focusing on actions rather than feelings)
- •Feeling: an emotion or reaction (Use when focusing on emotions only)
🔍 Unboxing
- •Word parts: from Latin "aptitudo" meaning fitness or readiness, changed in English to "attitude"
- •Etymology: borrowed from French "attitude," originally meaning posture or position of the body
- •Historical development: started meaning physical posture in the 1600s, later changed to mean mental position or way of thinking in the 1900s
- •Modern usage: now mostly means a person's mental position or feelings toward ideas, people, or situations
💭 Reflect & Connect
•How does your attitude affect the way people treat you?
•Can you change your attitude even if your situation stays the same? How?
Fill in the blanks with the correct word:
1.When you have a positive attitude, you usually feel ___ and ready to try new things.
2.Her attitude toward the problem was ___, so she looked for solutions instead of complaining.
3.Unlike mood, attitude is more ___ and does not change quickly.
4.You can often see someone's attitude by the way they ___ to others.
5.Changing your attitude can help you ___ difficult situations better.
6.A bad attitude can make people feel ___ or uncomfortable around you.
7.People with a good attitude often ___ more success in their work or school.