the thing

Idioms

Also, the in thing. Something in style or vogue, the latest trend. For example, Wearing oversized clothes is the thing these days, or Vans and sports utility vehicles have been the in thing for some time now. The first term dates from the mid-1700s; the second, which uses in in the sense of “popular,” dates from the mid-1900s. Also see the latest.

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:

the thing

According to Prince-Bythewood, helming “The Woman King” felt like the thing she’d been working toward her entire career.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 29, 2026

"But the thing that will carry on regardless is the innovation culture. It's 2,000 companies, not a single individual."

From BBC ● Jul. 24, 2026

When the thing dies, the worms fall away to reveal that it wasn’t always a demon, but a boar god felled by a dark force.

From Salon ● Jul. 22, 2026

He knows that he will have to deal with conversation around his relationship with Abdel-Rahman, but that is not actually the thing that concerns him the most.

From Slate ● Jul. 14, 2026

“This is the thing my blood keens for—to protect something worth protecting.”

From "Impossible Creatures" by Katherine Rundell

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