think tank

American  

noun

1. a research institute or organization employed to solve complex problems or predict or plan future developments, as in military, political, or social areas.

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think-tank British  

noun

1. informal a group of specialists organized by a business enterprise, governmental body, etc, and commissioned to undertake intensive study and research into specified problems

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think tank Cultural  

1. An institution in which scholars pursue research in public policy. Largely funded by endowments and grants, think tanks work to improve public awareness of policy issues (through publications) and to influence the government to act upon issues of national importance. (See power elite.)

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think tank Idioms  

1. A group or organization dedicated to problem-solving and research, especially in such areas as technology, social or political strategy, and the military. For example, The congressional leaders rely too heavily on that conservative think tank. This term originated about 1900 as a facetious colloquialism for brain and was given its new meaning about 1950.

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Etymology

Origin of think tank

1900–05 for earlier sense “brain”; 1955–60 for current sense

Example Sentences

“It’s a really dirty game,” said Elaine Dezenski, head of the Center on Economic and Financial Power at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a think tank critical of China.

From The Wall Street Journal

According to the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank, California is home to the largest total number of immigrants who participate in the workforce, as well as the largest number of undocumented immigrants overall.

From MarketWatch

"No single country currently possesses the financial resources or technical capabilities to independently outpace China's dominance," said Gracelin Baskaran, director at the Centre for Strategic and International Studies think tank.

From BBC

There are a few ways to measure readiness, but each method has its drawbacks, said Jill Cannon, a senior policy researcher at global policy think tank Rand.

From Los Angeles Times

He is a "technocrat," according to analyst Elizabeth Dickinson of the International Crisis Group think tank.

From Barron's