thinking
Americanadjective
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rational; reasoning.
People are thinking animals.
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thoughtful; reflective.
Any thinking person would reject that plan.
noun
noun
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opinion or judgment
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the process of thought
adjective
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(prenominal) using or capable of using intelligent thought
thinking people
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to ponder a matter or problem
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of thinking
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English thenking (noun); see think 1, -ing 2, -ing 1
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.
“I’m not saying you shouldn’t trust me,” he remembers thinking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 23, 2026
MoCA is a widely used screening test designed to assess memory, thinking skills, and the risk of developing dementia.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
And most people contend that plagiarism, cheating and ghostwriting are all cut from the same cloth because they all lack the spark that we ascribe to truly original thinking and writing.
From Salon ● Aug. 23, 2026
Medina herself discovered a restock of the Tags while scrolling TikTok and thinking about the product.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 22, 2026
Torak curled into a ball, cradling his throbbing arm and thinking bitterly what a mess he’d made of things.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
