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

The others are critical thinking, agility, business acumen, people skills and professional demeanor.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 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

By and large, I don’t think most Americans are inclined toward that kind of structured, critical thinking about money and mortality.

From MarketWatch ● May 11, 2026

The left hemisphere presides over rational, analytical and critical thinking.

From "Cosmos" by Carl Sagan

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