headspace

or head space

[ hed-speys ]

noun

1. Informal. mental state; state of mind: He creates such profoundly rich creative universes, it truly feels like you enter a completely different headspace when you watch his shows.

   Doomscrolling all day puts me in a really bad headspace, so I try to stay away from all that negative news.

   He creates such profoundly rich creative universes, it truly feels like you enter a completely different headspace when you watch his shows.

2. Informal. quiet, private, or contemplative mood or frame of mind: I never listen to music when I’m jogging, since I run for headspace as much as for exercise.

   I spend a lot of the weekend in my own headspace, so I can’t really engage with anything much.

   I never listen to music when I’m jogging, since I run for headspace as much as for exercise.

3. headroom ( def 2 ).
4. empty space left above the contents of a closed jar, can, or other container.

Word History and Origins

Origin of headspace¹

First recorded in 1800–10; head ( def ) + space ( def )

Example Sentences

A long center pole laying across two cross poles makes the Mineral King’s walls vertical and its interior headspace nearly rectangular, complementing its 43-inch peak height.

From Outside Online

It just makes sense and puts everybody in the right headspace.

From MIT Technology Review

In this Friction Collective film, High Tide Low, surfer Ed Night describes what it feels like to take to the water under your own steam and find headspace while catching your own food.

From Outside Online

I am optimistic that I am in the best possible headspace to care for my baby and make him my number one priority.

From Vox

And, while that’s all fun and creative, it’s sometimes hard to get into that creative headspace one time after another in a moment like this.

From Eater