think
1 Americanverb (used without object)
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to have a conscious mind, to some extent of reasoning, remembering experiences, making rational decisions, etc.
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to employ one's mind rationally and objectively in evaluating or dealing with a given situation.
Think carefully before you begin.
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to have a certain thing as the subject of one's thoughts.
I was thinking about you. We could think of nothing else.
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to call something to one's conscious mind.
I couldn't think of his phone number.
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to consider something as a possible action, choice, etc..
She thought about cutting her hair.
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to invent or conceive of something.
We thought of a new plan.
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to have consideration or regard for someone.
Think of others first.
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to esteem a person or thing as indicated.
to think badly of someone.
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to have a belief or opinion as indicated.
I think so.
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(of a device or machine, especially a computer) to use artificial intelligence to perform an activity analogous to human thought.
verb (used with object)
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to have or form in the mind as an idea, conception, etc.
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to have or form in the mind in order to understand, know, or remember something else.
Romantic comedy is all about chemistry: think Tracy and Hepburn. Can't guess? Here's a hint: think 19th century.
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to consider for evaluation or for possible action upon.
Think the deal over.
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to regard as specified.
He thought me unkind.
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to believe to be true of someone or something.
to think evil of the neighbors.
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to analyze or evolve rationally.
to think the problem out.
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to have as a plan or intention.
I thought that I would go.
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to anticipate or expect.
I did not think to find you here.
adjective
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of or relating to thinking or thought.
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Informal. stimulating or challenging to the intellect or mind.
the think book of the year.
noun
verb phrase
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think of
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to conceive of; imagine.
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to have an opinion or judgment of.
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to consider; anticipate.
When one thinks of what the future may bring, one is both worried and hopeful.
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think out / through
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to think about until a conclusion is reached; understand or solve by thinking.
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to devise by thinking; contrive.
He thought out a plan for saving time.
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think up to devise or contrive by thinking.
Can you think up an arrangement of furniture for this room?
idioms
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think twice, to weigh carefully before acting; consider.
I would think twice before taking on such a responsibility.
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think fit, to consider advisable or appropriate.
By all means, take a vacation if you think fit.
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think nothing of. nothing.
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think better of, to change one's mind about; reconsider.
She considered emigrating to Australia, but thought better of it.
verb (used without object)
verb
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(tr; may take a clause as object) to consider, judge, or believe
he thinks my ideas impractical
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to exercise the mind as in order to make a decision; ponder
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(intr) to be capable of conscious thought
man is the only animal that thinks
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to remember; recollect
I can't think what his name is
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to make the mental choice (of)
think of a number
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(may take a clause as object or an infinitive)
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to expect; suppose
I didn't think to see you here
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to be considerate or aware enough (to do something)
he did not think to thank them
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to consider; regard
she thinks of herself as a poet
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(intr) to focus the attention on being
think thin
think big
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(tr) to bring into or out of a specified condition by thinking
to think away one's fears
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slang a phrase added to an ironical statement
you're the paragon of virtue, I don't think
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to reconsider one's decision, opinion, etc
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to change one's mind about (a course of action, decision, etc)
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to have a more favourable opinion of (a person)
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(usually negative) to have a high opinion of
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to regard as routine, easy, or natural
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to have no compunction or hesitation about
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to have a very low opinion of
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to consider carefully before deciding (about something)
noun
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informal a careful, open-minded assessment
let's have a fresh think about this problem
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informal (modifier) characterized by or involving thinkers, thinking, or thought
a think session
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slang you are mistaken and will soon have to alter your opinion
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of think1
First recorded before 900; Middle English thinken, variant of thenken, Old English thencan; cognate with Dutch, German denken, Old Norse thekkja, Gothic thagkjan; akin to Latin tongēre “to know” and thank
Origin of think2
First recorded before 900; Middle English thinken “to present the appearance of, seem,” Old English thyncan “to seem”; cognate with Dutch dunken, German dünken, Old Norse thykkja, Gothic thugkjan
Explanation
To think is to have an idea, belief, or thought about something. If you think that your parents are unusually strict, it means that you believe that to be true. The verb think means to reason, consider, or mull over. If you think for a while before you decide whether or not to get in your friend's car, it means that you're contemplating the situation before you act. If you think that people shouldn't eat animals, it means that you hold that opinion. If you think up a new, delicious way to cook broccoli, it means that you've invented or conceived of a great cooking method.
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:
Now they think they can do business with Huawei and other local chip makers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
“Given what’s happened in just recent days with the 10-year Treasury, I think mortgage rates will get closer to 7% in the coming weeks,” said Mark Fleming, chief economist at First American Financial.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
"What I think many people don't understand is that Mr. Khan was not just my boss, he was everyone's boss."
From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026
"I have never once said I hated the trans community... I think there's space for everyone," she said, before the Fever's 123-88 win over the Connecticut Sun in Indianapolis on Wednesday.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
Rue holds my hand as I recount everything in my vision and how much time I think we have until it happens.
From "Split the Sky" by Marie Arnold
“This is making no sense. This guy is just looking at cybersecurity data sets,” he remembers thinking.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
A person familiar with the school’s thinking but not authorized to speak publicly told The Times that the school plans to argue the field had outlived its usefulness.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2026
Ever since, we’ve been obsessed with what various age demographics are thinking and doing as if it’s the key to understanding America.
From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026
The 28-year-old told BBC Scotland earlier this year that "gold in Scotland is what I grew up thinking about" and you'd be a brave soul to wager against him when he's in this mood.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
He must know what I’m thinking because he says, “Why don’t you stay home today? I need someone to take care of me.”
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
The push has made progress that few thought possible back in 2022, when Huawei was starved of U.S. technology and Chinese AI companies depended almost entirely on Nvidia.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 24, 2026
Tilly said she thought the sedation and memory problems she experienced afterwards might explain why she could not recall being awake.
From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026
That was exactly what I, and other young and foolish people, thought in 2000, at the tail end of the technology bubble.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 23, 2026
"We came to these communities and saw piles of sharks, rays and guitarfish being landed without any thought about conservation," Seidu told AFP.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
When she first arrived with a few hundred prisoners, she thought it would only be weeks before the Americans rescued them.
From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly
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.
