thought

noun

\ 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 Learn More about thought

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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.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

So this isn’t the same as translating private thoughts into speech. — Avery Thompson, Popular Mechanics, "Scientists Translate Brain Waves Into Speech," 30 Jan. 2019 When the bill surfaced, Pelco scrapped any thought of providing its new GPC Professional 4K camera to the U.S. government and lowered its sales goals. — Mark Bergen, The Seattle Times, "Huawei is blocked in U.S., but its chips power security cameras everywhere," 28 Jan. 2019 Everything from the all-black exterior (including black wheels and black trim) to the well-thought-out interior works cohesively as a whole. — Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, "Review: GMC Terrain gives you the ride you want—at a price," 23 Dec. 2018 Other parts of the report include respondents thoughts on everything from what feminism means to interviews with the first trans prom king Alan Belmont and fashion designer Harris Reed. — Alyssa Hardy, Teen Vogue, "Why Does Gender Neutral Clothing Translate to “Boys” Clothing?," 21 Dec. 2018 The 18-year-old thought Indianapolis might hold more career opportunities than her Vermillion County hometown of Clinton. — Dawn Mitchell, Indianapolis Star, "True crime: The 'dresser drawer murder' at the Claypool Hotel," 13 July 2018 And Barstool Sports has released an ugly Christmas sweater that perfectly encapsulates all my holiday thoughts. — Kelsey Stiegman, Seventeen, "This Noah Centineo Ugly Christmas Sweater is the Holiday Miracle We All Deserve," 7 Dec. 2018 Those loading bombs were strong- backing the job, giving no thought to the use of nearby hoisting equipment. — John Mccain, Popular Mechanics, "Fire on the Flight Deck," 27 Aug. 2018 The thought was how to redefine flesh color, starting with the foundations, which were the first product that identified the line. — Ingrid Schmidt, The Hollywood Reporter, "Former Allure Magazine Editor Linda Wells Is Redefining Nude Makeup," 12 July 2018

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.