the thing

1. 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

"They were like, 'Oh right, so you want to write about the time before the thing we know you for?'"

From BBC

Here’s the thing that programs tend to gloss over: In this study and others, most kids don’t improve completely.

From Slate

The thing about receiving an awards nomination means also confronting the possibility you could win and will need to deliver a speech.

From Los Angeles Times

“Another argument is that ancient primates ate way more fermented foods than we recognize. One way to tell if rotting fruits are safe is if they’re acidic, because the thing that makes them acidic is lactic acid bacteria and acetic acid bacteria. The acid in these bacteria kills bad new bacteria, so those fruits are almost always safe to eat.”

From Salon

The thing of going to school with the ball while waiting for the bell to come on, to run into the pitch, to get to get there first.

From BBC