attitude
noun
at·ti·tude
| \ ˈa-tə-ˌtüd
, -ˌtyüd\
, -ˌtyüd\
Definition of attitude
1
: the arrangement of the parts of a body or figure : posture
depicted her in a reclining attitude
2
: a position assumed for a specific purpose
a threatening attitude
3
: a ballet position similar to the arabesque in which the raised leg is bent at the knee
4a
: a mental position with regard to a fact or state
a helpful attitude
b
: a feeling or emotion toward a fact or state
a negative attitude an optimistic attitude
5
: the position of a craft (such as an aircraft or spacecraft) determined by the relationship between its axes and a reference datum (such as the horizon or a particular star)
6
: an bodily state of readiness to respond in a characteristic way to a stimulus (such as an object, concept, or situation)
7a
: a negative or hostile state of mind
b
: a cool, cocky, defiant, or arrogant manner
He was showing some attitude in practice today, so the coach benched him.
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Synonyms for attitude
Synonyms
carriage, poise, posture, stance, station
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Examples of attitude in a Sentence
He has a positive attitude about the changes.
She's friendly and has a good attitude.
You need to change your bad attitude.
There's been a change in his attitude since his accident.
I don't know what her problem is. She has a real attitude.
I suggest you get rid of that attitude and shape up.
He was showing some attitude during practice today, so the coach benched him.
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Recent Examples on the Web
With fans' criticism of a poor attitude exacerbated by his love of golf, Bale's days in Spain appeared numbered. — Daniel Gallan, CNN, "Could Gareth Bale be Real Madrid's unlikely hero this season?," 2 Sep. 2019 The brochure reflected evolving attitudes toward college-student housing at the time. — Alia Wong, The Atlantic, "When College Plays Cupid for Roommates," 26 Aug. 2019 Michael Pickering in Canberra was one of many older white Australian museum workers who have seen a complete reversal of attitudes in their lifetimes. — David Maurice Smith, Smithsonian, "A 42,000-Year-Old Man Finally Goes Home," 23 Aug. 2019 That's a good attitude to have, as some of the ideas floated during Neuralink's announcement are going to be extremely challenging. — John Timmer, Ars Technica, "Elon Musk’s Neuralink: Both an evolution and a plan for radical change," 13 Aug. 2019 Our children have a low-key attitude about having my last name, as do their friends. — Adrienne Brodeur, Glamour, "Our Children Have My Last Name. No, My Husband Doesn’t Mind," 13 Aug. 2019 Abby made a big comeback earlier this year with an entirely new team of dancers and, some may argue, a new attitude. — Laura Hanrahan, Woman's Day, "When Will ‘Dance Moms’ Season 9 Air? Here's Everything We Know So Far," 10 Aug. 2019 Under the surface of Erica's attitude, viewers find out she's got layers. — Anika Reed, USA TODAY, "'Stranger Things' breakout star Priah Ferguson on Season 3 and her 'cool stunts'," 19 July 2019 Clark said the Family Dollar employee had a bad attitude. — Jeff Rumage, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "A Brown Deer Family Dollar employee pulled a gun on a customer who threatened her, report says," 17 July 2019These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'attitude.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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More Definitions for attitude
attitude
noun
English Language Learners Definition of attitude
: the way you think and feel about someone or something
: a feeling or way of thinking that affects a person's behavior
: a way of thinking and behaving that people regard as unfriendly, rude, etc.
See the full definition for attitude in the English Language Learners Dictionary
attitude
noun
at·ti·tude
| \ ˈa-tə-ˌtüd
, -ˌtyüd\
, -ˌtyüd\
Kids Definition of attitude
1
: a feeling or way of thinking that affects a person's behavior
a positive attitude change your attitude
2
: a way of positioning the body or its parts
an erect attitude He bowed in an attitude of respect.
attitude
noun
at·ti·tude
| \ ˈat-ə-ˌt(y)üd
\
\
Medical Definition of attitude
1
: the arrangement of the parts of the body : posture
2a
: a mental position with regard to a fact or state
b
: a feeling or emotion toward a fact or state
3
: an organismic state of readiness to respond in a characteristic way to a stimulus (as an object, concept, or situation)
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