groupthink

noun

group·​think ˈgrüp-ˌthiŋk 

: a pattern of thought characterized by self-deception, forced manufacture of consent, and conformity to group values and ethics

"… The more amiability and esprit de corps among the members of a policy-making in-group, the greater is the danger that independent critical thinking will be replaced by groupthink," psychologist Irving Janis noted in his study of the poor decisions that led to the Bay of Pigs catastrophe in 1961.

—Jeremy Mercer

Examples of groupthink in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Another practical application for AI is using it to help avoid groupthink and challenge what could be dangerous assumptions. — Edward Segal, Forbes.com, 22 Aug. 2026

Later, though, his experiment became a metaphor for the dangers of groupthink. — Ben Crair, New Yorker, 31 July 2026

Hosting monthly problem-sharing clinics, where teams bring along tricky live problems, can surface solutions that groupthink suppresses. — Michael Muthukrishna, Fortune, 23 July 2026

There’s so much groupthink and following the flock these days. — Marlow Stern, Variety, 22 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

group entry 1 + -think (as in doublethink)

First Known Use

1952, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for groupthink

• bethink
• downlink
• hoodwink
• rethink
• uplink
• blink
• brink
• chink
• cinque
• clink
• dink
• drink