think tank

noun

: an institute, corporation, or group organized to study a particular subject (such as a policy issue or a scientific problem) and provide information, ideas, and advice

an information technology think tank

… was responsible for the armies of new political-action committees, lobbyists and rightward think tanks that poured into Washington to counter the consumer and environmental movements he helped to inspire.

—Jonathan Rowe

Examples of think tank in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The think tank studies California’s political geography every few years, gauging which issues residents care about the most. — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026

Scott Lincicome, vice president of the libertarian think tank Cato Institute, was more blunt. — Matt Egan, CNN Money, 23 Sep. 2026

The ambitious proposal to create what is often called a sovereign wealth fund has drawn skepticism from Democrats and conservative-leaning think tanks. — Jack Harvel, Kansas City Star, 22 Sep. 2026

Analysts at research firm Trivium and think tank ODI Global said the surge points to Beijing stockpiling to protect its economy against market vicissitudes, given the global scarcity of PGMs. — Alexis Akwagyiram, semafor.com, 21 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for think tank

• gangplank
• nonbank
• outflank
• sandbank
• antitank
• interbank
• riverbank
• banc
• bank
• blank
• clank
• crank

Kids Definition

think tank

noun

: an organization formed to think up new solutions especially for social and scientific problems