have a mind of one's own
The phrase "have a mind of one's own" highlights individual autonomy and independent thinking.
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Definition
B2General
(informal)To form personal opinions and make decisions without being influenced by others.
Example
- She has a mind of her own and always follows her own path.
- Despite the advice, he has a mind of his own and chose a different approach.
B2General
(informal, humorous)When an object seems to act on its own, often unpredictably.
Example
- My computer has a mind of its own and shuts down randomly.
- The old car has a mind of its own and sometimes refuses to start.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "have a mind of one's own":
use one's headhave one's waybe oneselfspeak for oneselfone's own bosshandle oneselfhave one's head readgo one's wayon one's own accountto each his ownon one's mindkeep to oneself