hive mind: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
B2informal, academic, science fiction
Quick answer
What does “hive mind” mean?
A collective consciousness or shared intelligence formed by a group, often resulting in conformity or loss of individual thought.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A collective consciousness or shared intelligence formed by a group, often resulting in conformity or loss of individual thought.
The phenomenon where a group of individuals act in a coordinated, seemingly telepathic manner, as if guided by a single mind; also used to describe a situation where group consensus overrides independent critical thinking.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage and meaning are identical. Spelling 'hive mind' is standard in both; hyphenated 'hive-mind' is less common but occasionally seen.
Connotations
Slightly more common in British media discussing social psychology; more frequently used in American tech/sci-fi discourse.
Frequency
Comparable frequency in both varieties, with a slight edge in American English due to prevalence in Silicon Valley and tech journalism.
Grammar
How to Use “hive mind” in a Sentence
the hive mind of [GROUP]a hive mind mentalityto hive-mind (verb, rare)Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “hive mind” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The online community began to hive mind around that conspiracy theory.
- They've hived minded their approach to the project.
American English
- The team hiveminded the solution in just an hour.
- Fans hivemind to organise campaign events.
adverb
British English
- The group acted hive-mindedly, with no dissenting voices.
- They responded hive-mindedly to the crisis.
American English
- They work hive-mindedly on these collaborative projects.
- The community decided hive-mindedly to boycott the product.
adjective
British English
- The hive-mind behaviour was evident in the unanimous vote.
- She criticised the hive-mind mentality of the group.
American English
- His hive-mind comment got him kicked off the forum.
- They exhibited a hive mind approach to problem-solving.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Critiquing lack of innovation: 'The committee's decision reflected a corporate hive mind.'
Academic
In social psychology: 'The study examined hive mind dynamics in online forums.'
Everyday
Describing social media trends: 'Twitter sometimes feels like a hive mind.'
Technical
In AI/robotics: 'Researchers are developing swarm robots with a hive mind.'
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “hive mind”
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “hive mind”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “hive mind”
- Using 'hive mind' as a positive term (usually negative/connotative).
- Misspelling as 'high mind'.
- Using it to describe simple agreement rather than loss of individuality.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Mostly, yes. While its original sci-fi use was neutral (describing a biological fact for aliens), modern metaphorical use typically criticises conformity, lack of originality, or irrational group behaviour.
Yes, but it's informal and relatively rare (e.g., 'The fans hiveminded a response'). The noun form is standard.
'Groupthink' is a specific psychological term for flawed decision-making in cohesive groups. 'Hive mind' is broader, often implying a more profound, almost instinctual merging of consciousness, and is common in tech and sci-fi contexts.
In its original science fiction sense, it often did. In modern metaphorical use, it does not imply literal telepathy, but rather extremely efficient or uncanny coordination, often facilitated by technology or strong social pressure.
A collective consciousness or shared intelligence formed by a group, often resulting in conformity or loss of individual thought.
Hive mind is usually informal, academic, science fiction in register.
Hive mind: in British English it is pronounced /ˈhaɪv ˌmaɪnd/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈhaɪv ˌmaɪnd/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “get into the hive mind”
- “a product of the hive mind”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a beehive (hive) where all bees work as one single mind.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE GROUP IS A SINGLE ORGANISM / THINKING IS A COLLECTIVE ACTIVITY.
Practice
Quiz
Which scenario best illustrates a 'hive mind'?