thought

noun

Save Word

\ ˈthȯt

Definition of thought

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : something that is thought: such as

a : an individual act or product of thinking

b : a developed intention or plan had no thought of leaving home

c : something (such as an opinion or belief) in the mind he spoke his thoughts freely

d : the intellectual product or the organized views and principles of a period, place, group, or individual contemporary Western thought

2a : the action or process of thinking : cogitation

b : serious consideration : regard

c archaic : recollection, remembrance

3a : reasoning power

b : the power to imagine : conception

a thought

: a little : somewhat a thought too much vinegar in the dressing

thought

Definition of thought (Entry 2 of 2)

past tense and past participle of think

Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Phrases Containing thought Learn More About thought

Synonyms & Antonyms for thought

Synonyms: Noun

Antonyms: Noun

short shrift

Choose the Right Synonym for thought

Noun

idea, concept, conception, thought, notion, impression mean what exists in the mind as a representation (as of something comprehended) or as a formulation (as of a plan). idea may apply to a mental image or formulation of something seen or known or imagined, to a pure abstraction, or to something assumed or vaguely sensed. innovative ideas my idea of paradise concept may apply to the idea formed by consideration of instances of a species or genus or, more broadly, to any idea of what a thing ought to be. a society with no concept of private property conception is often interchangeable with concept; it may stress the process of imagining or formulating rather than the result. our changing conception of what constitutes art thought is likely to suggest the result of reflecting, reasoning, or meditating rather than of imagining. commit your thoughts to paper notion suggests an idea not much resolved by analysis or reflection and may suggest the capricious or accidental. you have the oddest notions impression applies to an idea or notion resulting immediately from some stimulation of the senses. the first impression is of soaring height

Examples of thought in a Sentence

Noun He could easily have held the audience for a one-hour answer that ranged from his thoughts on jazz to his soap-opera career playing gangsters … — Calvin Trillin, Nation, 28 May 2007 … thoughts expressed while sitting alone at the keyboard would be put more diplomatically—or go unmentioned—face to face. — Daniel Goleman, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2007 Yes, well don't forget, sir, we're viewing this with twenty-twenty hindsight, but at the time no one gave a thought to geckos or what they ate—they were just another fact of life in the tropics. — T. Coraghessan Boyle, Harper's, April 1993 My first thought was that something must have changed. The thought of leaving never crossed my mind. Do you have any thoughts about the subject? She abandoned all thoughts of going home. It was just a thought. She was lost in thought. She abandoned all thought of going home. They should have put more thought into the proposal. While you're enjoying the holidays, you should spare a thought for those who are less fortunate. He has no thought for anyone but himself. See More

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Our first thought in both cases goes to the families who have endured the pain brought about by these circumstances. — Michelle Collins, STAT, 14 May 2022 Moynihan said his first thought was that he was being assaulted. — Andrea Towers, EW.com, 10 May 2022 His immediate thought, Sigmon told NBC News, was to join the military. — Gretchen Morgenson, NBC News, 7 May 2022 Though her first thought was to sell it, a lawyer advised against that move. — Elizabeth Djinis, Smithsonian Magazine, 6 May 2022 At the most divisive time in our history, their thought was how to heal the nation’s wounds. — WSJ, 22 Apr. 2022 Our first thought was of an Apple wireless mouse, dramatically sloped and edged in light. — Elana Scherr, Car and Driver, 21 Apr. 2022 No, this must be a human warning signal, and my next thought is Run! — Longreads, 20 Apr. 2022 When leaders make decisions, their first thought should always be: How will this impact my employees? — Flint Brenton, Forbes, 18 Apr. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'thought.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.