as in intelligence
the ability to learn and understand or to deal with problems
you have the brains to figure out that problem on your own
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Recent Examples of brains
Clayton Davis, Variety, 8 Nov. 2025
But that’s exactly what happened when singer-songwriter Tucker Pillsbury, who goes by Role Model, crossed paths with María Zardoya, the introspective frontwoman of the Marías and the brains behind the solo project Not for Radio.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
That’s the heart and the brains of the operation.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 6 Nov. 2025
The idea is to free people from those elements of factory work that are physically taxing, unfulfilling, and, well, robotic, so workers can use their brains and take pride in their specialized skills.
—IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2025
Mosconi is quick to point out that rodents die quickly after their reproductive years, suggesting that their brains do not undergo the physiological adaptation post-menopause that humans do.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 4 Nov. 2025
The concept comes straight out of the brains of its eccentric founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who saw the massive profit margins from search advertising as a means to build something much more interesting than an internet cash cow.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Today in the Planet Money newsletter, five recent papers that lit lightbulbs in our brains, and are maybe worth taking a look at.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 4 Nov. 2025
The e-note has octa-core processing brains supported by 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage, with microSD expansion and cloud sync available for workflow efficiency.
—New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2025
Noun
Our brains just don’t know how to process that much information.
—Clayton Davis, Variety, 8 Nov. 2025
But that’s exactly what happened when singer-songwriter Tucker Pillsbury, who goes by Role Model, crossed paths with María Zardoya, the introspective frontwoman of the Marías and the brains behind the solo project Not for Radio.
—Julyssa Lopez, Rolling Stone, 6 Nov. 2025
That’s the heart and the brains of the operation.
—Preezy Brown, VIBE.com, 6 Nov. 2025
The idea is to free people from those elements of factory work that are physically taxing, unfulfilling, and, well, robotic, so workers can use their brains and take pride in their specialized skills.
—IEEE Spectrum, 5 Nov. 2025
Mosconi is quick to point out that rodents die quickly after their reproductive years, suggesting that their brains do not undergo the physiological adaptation post-menopause that humans do.
—Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 4 Nov. 2025
The concept comes straight out of the brains of its eccentric founders, Larry Page and Sergey Brin, who saw the massive profit margins from search advertising as a means to build something much more interesting than an internet cash cow.
—Reed Albergotti, semafor.com, 4 Nov. 2025
Today in the Planet Money newsletter, five recent papers that lit lightbulbs in our brains, and are maybe worth taking a look at.
—Greg Rosalsky, NPR, 4 Nov. 2025
The e-note has octa-core processing brains supported by 6 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage, with microSD expansion and cloud sync available for workflow efficiency.
—New Atlas, 24 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brains
Noun
-
Many of these soldiers are still involved in supporting Ukraine, including by providing intelligence, logistics, and training assistance worth at least tens of billions per year.—
Jennifer Kavanagh,
Washington Post,
9 Jan. 2026
-
The hackers accessed emails for staffers on the China, foreign affairs, intelligence, and armed services committees, according to a new Financial Times report.—
Andrew Nusca,
Fortune,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The persecution of Trotsky and the Moscow Trials, which caused a rift in the American left, revealed the weakness of Cowley’s party-line political thinking, just as all his other work demonstrated the scope of his literary intellect.—
Vince Passaro,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
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Mister Terrific emerges as one of Superman’s smartest anchors, threading intellect through a story preoccupied with power, trust, and what the world expects its heroes to be.—
Kathleen Newman-Bremang,
Refinery29,
30 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
So there's really no choice but for the four major conference commissioners to compile a set of rules and guidelines that make at least a marginal bit of sense.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Create a sense of order by clearing those surfaces of holiday-specific decor.—
Kristin Hohenadel,
The Spruce,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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During pregnancy, common reasons for seeking care include early labor, bleeding, changes in fetal movement, or high blood pressure.—
MemorialCare Medical Group,
Oc Register,
10 Jan. 2026
-
One reason the design concept endures is the sink's functionality within the kitchen's larger scheme.—
Kristina McGuirk,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
To understand what’s next, follow the flow of money and brainpower.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
9 Dec. 2025
-
But the Lambert High School team had advantages, beyond audacity and brainpower.—
Bill Whitaker,
CBS News,
1 Dec. 2025
Verb
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An overreliance on tools weakens our civilization (and saps the film’s dramatic thrills).—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Jan. 2026
-
Cast and crew are emotionally invested in the urgency of the material, but the bland competency of the whole affair saps it of power.—
Will Leitch,
Vulture,
16 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brains. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.
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