*Piece of Mind or Peace of Mind | Spelling & Examples
Peace of mind is the correct spelling for the noun phrase that means “a feeling of being safe or content.” Piece of mind is a misspelling of this phrase and is incorrect in this context.
- My home security system has given me a greater peace of mind.
- My home security system has given me a greater piece of mind.
Peace of mind
Peace of mind means “a feeling of being safe or content.” It refers to a state in which someone is content, at ease, or unworried. This phrase comes from the noun “peace,” meaning “calmness.”
The new security cameras installed in the city provided the residents with peace of mind.
My newfound peace of mind came from deleting social media.
Piece of mind
Piece of mind on its own is incorrect. That said, piece of mind is correct when used in the idiom “give someone a piece of your mind,” which means “to scold or rebuke someone.”
When the man tried to cut the queue, we gave him a piece of our mind.
When the coach found out the team was cheating, he gave them a piece of his mind, explaining that if they’re not playing fair, they’re not really winning.
Piece of mind or peace of mind
These phrases can never be mixed. You cannot “give someone a peace of your mind” and you cannot feel “piece of mind.” This common mistake probably came about because peace and piece are homophones.
To remember which is which, think about how:
- Both peace and “calm” (its meaning) contain the letter “a.”
- Both piece and “give” (another word in the idiom) contain the letter “i.”
Or use QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker to make sure you always use these phrases correctly.
- Painting brings me peace of mind.
- Painting brings me piece of mind.
- Sarah won’t have peace of mind until after the exam.
- Sarah won’t have piece of mind until after the exam.
- What? He said that? I’m going to give him a piece of my mind.
- What? He said that? I’m going to give him a peace of my mind.
- Jackson gave his sister a piece of his mind when she broke his computer.
- Jackson gave his sister a peace of his mind when she broke his computer.
Frequently asked questions about peace of mind
- Is it say my piece or peace?
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The correct idiom is “say my piece,” meaning “to express your opinion on a matter.” Some people mistake this idiom with “hold your peace,” meaning “to stay silent.”
Likewise, some people get confused when choosing between piece of mind or peace of mind. The correct noun phrase is “peace of mind” to refer to “a feeling of contentment or safety,” though it sometimes gets confused with “give someone a piece of your mind,” meaning “to scold someone.”
Make sure you always use these phrases and idioms correctly with QuillBot’s free Grammar Checker.
- Is rest in piece correct?
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No, “rest in piece” is not correct. The correct spelling of this phrase is “rest in peace,” meaning you wish someone has found peace in death.
As “piece” and “peace” are homophones, it’s easy to mix them up. The same mistake sometimes happens when people have to choose between piece of mind or peace of mind.
“Peace of mind” is the correct noun phrase for “a feeling of contentment or safety,” while “give someone a piece of your mind” is an idiom that means “to scold someone.”
Use QuillBot’s Grammar Checker to make sure your writing is free of spelling errors like these.
