Meanings
nounsiege mentality (countable and uncountable, plural siege mentalities)
plural siege mentalities
- countableuncountableA collective feeling of victimization and defensiveness, in which a group of people believe themselves to be constantly attacked, oppressed, or isolated in the face of the negative intentions of the rest of the world.
Origin
From siege + mentality, from the experience of military defenses of real sieges.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Dutch frontmentaliteit, belegeringsmentaliteit
- frontmentaliteitcollective feeling of victimization and defensiveness
- belegeringsmentaliteitcollective feeling of victimization and defensiveness
French syndrome de la citadelle assiégée
- syndrome de la citadelle assiégéecollective feeling of victimization and defensiveness
German Wagenburgmentalität
- Wagenburgmentalitätcollective feeling of victimization and defensiveness
Polish syndrom oblężonej twierdzy
- syndrom oblężonej twierdzycollective feeling of victimization and defensiveness
Cite this entry
APA
siege mentality. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/siege%20mentality
MLA
“siege mentality.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/siege%20mentality. Accessed November 4, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “siege mentality,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/siege%20mentality.
Source: siege mentality on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.