thoughtful

adjective

thought·​ful ˈthȯt-fəl 

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

ˈthȯt-fə-lē 

adverb

thoughtfulness noun

Synonyms

• attentive
• considerate
• kind
• solicitous

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

Beneath the surface of its superlatives lies depth — thoughtful nods to heritage, reinterpretations of tradition and layers of cultural meaning embedded in contemporary forms. —Natasha Amar, Forbes.com, 23 June 2025

His career consists of multitudes: the comedic if not brash hip-hop radio host forged by the shock-jock era, and the thoughtful political commentator, able to articulate what even his critics would describe as a pretty nuanced perspective on the world. —Jeff Ihaza, Rolling Stone, 23 June 2025

Several neighborhoods loosely inspire thoughtful craft cocktails—all clever, complex, and complimentary. —Paul Rubio, AFAR Media, 23 June 2025

It's been quite a year so this was really such a thoughtful gesture and seriously made my month. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 23 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

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

Kids Definition

thoughtful

adjective

thought·​ful ˈthȯt-fəl 

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

-fə-lē 

adverb

thoughtfulness noun