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critical thinking

American

[krit-i-kuhl thing-king] / ˈkrɪt ɪ kəl ˈθɪŋ kɪŋ /

noun

disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence.

The questions are intended to develop your critical thinking.

Etymology

Origin of critical thinking

First recorded in 1810–15

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

critical thinking

We recoil at AI-generated music, art and writing—expressions of critical thinking, creativity and soul that have been replaced by a machine’s data aggregation.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Truly creative and inspiring art undermines that goal, because it provokes responses like empathy and critical thinking in audiences — which gets in the way of authoritarian domination.

From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026

They highlight memory, decision-making and critical thinking as particularly at risk.

From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026

They are moving away from entry-level tech or statistical analysis and focusing on critical thinking, communication, and human-centric fields, it says.

From BBC ● May 18, 2026

Ma always told me critical thinking was important, so maybe I’ll give it a shot.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023