thinking
Americanadjective
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rational; reasoning.
People are thinking animals.
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thoughtful; reflective.
Any thinking person would reject that plan.
noun
noun
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opinion or judgment
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the process of thought
adjective
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(prenominal) using or capable of using intelligent thought
thinking people
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to ponder a matter or problem
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of thinking
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English thenking (noun); see think 1, -ing 2, -ing 1
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.
Companies such as Exxon, Chevron, ConocoPhillips and Occidental plan to absorb whatever criticism comes at them and wait for the opposition to blow over, according to people familiar with their thinking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 28, 2026
“Whether or not you end up doing that, it puts you on a path of just thinking bigger, going above and beyond, having the incentive of self-driven goals that just ultimately build better community members.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 28, 2026
MarketWatch: You built an AI tool around one specific investor’s thinking.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026
Susie Matthews said she never wanted to find herself sat in a chair thinking "I wished I'd have done this and wished I'd have done that"
From BBC ● Jul. 27, 2026
The real sin lay in thinking that any power to help and transform came from me.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
