thoughtful

adjective

thought·​ful ˈthȯt-fəl How to pronounce thoughtful (audio)
1
a
: absorbed in thought : meditative
b
: characterized by careful reasoned thinking
a thoughtful essay
2
a
: having thoughts : heedful
became thoughtful about religion
b
: given to or chosen or made with heedful anticipation of the needs and wants of others
a kind and thoughtful friend
thoughtfully adverb
thoughtfulness noun

Examples of thoughtful in a Sentence

She looked at me with a thoughtful expression. He looked thoughtful for a moment. Her husband is always thoughtful. That's very thoughtful of you.
Recent Examples on the Web Answering these questions provides a more thoughtful way of understanding your child, which will lead to a better outcome. Meghan Leahy, Washington Post, 13 Mar. 2024 Be thoughtful to other people and respect other people. Gerrad Hall, EW.com, 12 Mar. 2024 The illustrious singer was impressed by his body of photo work and perhaps just as much by his thoughtful touch ahead of their meeting: a bouquet of yellow roses. Brian McCollum, Detroit Free Press, 10 Mar. 2024 The private spaces are just as thoughtful and airy as the more public ones. Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 3 Mar. 2024 There’s no denying that his creations are thoughtful. Luke Leitch, Vogue, 2 Mar. 2024 Now Butler returns with a cogent and deeply thoughtful case against the right’s attempts to limit ideas of gender to male and female, offering philosophical and historical evidence to support a fluid system in which all people might present authentically. Bethanne Patrick, Los Angeles Times, 1 Mar. 2024 Spam applications can also harm your reputation and limit your chances with employers who value thoughtful and intentional applications. Sho Dewan, Forbes, 29 Feb. 2024 The timing of the news was thoughtful as March 1 is St. David’s Day, the feast day celebrating Wales' patron saint. Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 1 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thoughtful.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of thoughtful was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near thoughtful

Cite this Entry

“Thoughtful.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thoughtful. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

thoughtful

adjective
thought·​ful ˈthȯt-fəl How to pronounce thoughtful (audio)
1
a
: lost in thought
b
: marked by careful thinking
a thoughtful essay
2
: considerate of the needs of others
a kind and thoughtful friend
thoughtfully adverb
thoughtfulness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on thoughtful

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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