tender-mindedness
Gentle, sympathetic nature
Tender-mindedness is a disposition toward sympathy, idealism, and emotional sensitivity—the quality of being moved by suffering and inclined toward gentle responses.
The term often contrasts with tough-mindedness, suggesting someone who prioritizes compassion over pragmatism: His tender-mindedness made him ill-suited for cutthroat business negotiations.
In philosophy, William James used the distinction to characterize different temperaments in approaching truth.
Openness to harm
- emotionalityCapacity for strong feelings
- delicacyRefined sensitivity or rarity
- sentimentalityExcessive tender emotion
- susceptibilityLiability to influence
impressionability · fragility · perceptiveness · intuitiveness · thin-skinned · touchiness · rawness · responsiveness
Sharing another's emotions
- sympathyCompassionate understanding of others
- kindnessConsiderate, caring disposition
- caringShowing kind concern
- benevolenceDisposition toward doing good
warmth · gentleness · mercy · forgiveness · generosity · humanity · charity · altruism
Willingness to accept ideas
- acceptanceConsent to receive
- flexibilityAbility to adapt easily
- adaptabilityAbility to adjust readily
- approachabilityQuality of seeming welcoming
curiosity · willingness · tolerance · inclusiveness · permeability · responsiveness · attentiveness · liberality
vulnerability
Openness to harm
- emotionalityCapacity for strong feelings
- delicacyRefined sensitivity or rarity
- sentimentalityExcessive tender emotion
susceptibility · impressionability · fragility · perceptiveness · intuitiveness · thin-skinned · touchiness · rawness · responsiveness · affectability
empathy
Sharing another's emotions
- sympathyCompassionate understanding of others
- kindnessConsiderate, caring disposition
- caringShowing kind concern
benevolence · warmth · gentleness · mercy · forgiveness · generosity · humanity · charity · altruism · goodwill
receptivity
Willingness to accept ideas
- acceptanceConsent to receive
- flexibilityAbility to adapt easily
- adaptabilityAbility to adjust readily
approachability · curiosity · willingness · tolerance · inclusiveness · permeability · responsiveness · attentiveness · liberality · progressiveness
- personalitypersonality, trait, temperament, traits, character
tender-mindednesscallousness
Cruel emotional indifference
hard-heartedness · cold-heartedness · cruelty · ruthlessness · heartlessness
tender-mindednesstough-mindedness
Unsentimental practical resolve
pragmatism · realism · rationalism · clear-headedness · level-headedness
tender-mindednesstough-mindedness
Unsentimental practical resolve
pragmatism · steeliness · realism · cynicism · unsentimental
tender, mind, minded, mindedness, tenderness, tenderly, tender-minded, minds, tending