ENGLISH
REFERENCE

have sb/sth in mind

idiom
Meaning

to be thinking of a specific person, thing, or plan for a particular purpose.


Examples
SIMPLE

I have a specific gift in mind for your birthday.

CONTEXTUAL

The manager has a few candidates in mind for the new position, but she wants to interview more people first.

COMPLEX

Although the architect had a minimalist design in mind for the library, the committee insisted on adding several elaborate, traditional features to the final structure.

Last updated April 22, 2026