train of thought

Idioms  

1. A succession of connected ideas, a path of reasoning, as in You've interrupted my train of thought; now what was I saying? This idiom, which uses train in the sense of “an orderly sequence,” was first recorded in 1651, in philosopher Thomas Hobbes's Leviathan.

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Example Sentences

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train of thought

It can be embarrassing, he says, when he loses his train of thought or when someone reminds him he’s already told a story.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026

The train of thought derails as soon as the server at Smoke House presents a large silver tray, its display slices of cakes layered and its pies adorned with ice cream.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 31, 2025

There is a train of thought that Scottish football, for all its drama, intrigue and excitement, wasn't always the best quality.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2025

The key failing of Walz was not a lost train of thought here or there, or his obvious jitters and nerves at the debate’s outset.

From Slate ● Oct. 2, 2024

Susan Calvin’s train of thought did not include Bogert in the least.

From "I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov

Related Words

• acumen
• analysis
• argument
• hypothesis
• inference
• interpretation
• premise
• proposition
• rationale
• thinking