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Synonyms

school of thought

American  
[skool uhv thawt] / ˈskul əv ˈθɔt /

noun

  1. a unifying philosophy or particular point of view with a group of adherents.

    One school of thought in international diplomacy values cultural exchange as highly as the traditional diplomatic work.


Etymology

Origin of school of thought

First recorded in 1825–30

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.

At least one school of thought suggests the tech giant’s massive capital spending plans, which could reach $185 billion this year, doubling the 2025 total, have rattled investor sentiment.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

There’s also a technical school of thought that “overbought” is more of an ability than a condition, meaning that the ability to become overbought is a sign of underlying strength.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 6, 2026

And McCullum fits squarely in that school of thought.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 21, 2025

There's a school of thought that England's Bazball approach could produce shorter Tests and Lyon's impact on the match could be nullified as it was here.

From BBC • Jun. 15, 2025

My mom generally subscribes to the more positive, optimistic school of thought, and my dad believes the doomsayers are underplaying the truth.

From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman