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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of brains
Felicia Feaster, AJC.com, 13 June 2026
Laura Ingalls Wilder may have been the official brains of Little House, but Michael Landon became the mastermind of the show itself.
—Kelly Martinez, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
Daydream, a fashion shopping platform that uses artificial intelligence, can confirm that silk scarves are on their users’ brains.
—Diana Tsui, Footwear News, 11 June 2026
To put it simply, the car is going from a collection of many small brains to a single large one.
—Sarwant Singh, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
But almost all of Western pop, rock, hip-hop and jazz is based off the system of 12 notes and their specific overtones—as a result, our brains have become attuned to them, and anything outside that system can just sound weird.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 10 June 2026
The ancient tile game of Mahjong is making a major comeback in the United States, and for a group of local women, the surge in popularity is good news for their brains.
—Lauren Pastrana, CBS News, 4 June 2026
Despite having tiny brains, bumblebees have demonstrated a remarkable ability to socially learn how to use tools, solve simple puzzles, and cooperate to achieve a goal.
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2026
Teaching kids to think critically and have fun offline will be far better skills to encode in their brains for the rest of their lives than scrolling.
—CNN Money, 4 June 2026
Noun
Atlanta artist Truett Dietz’s twitchy, colorful, anxiety-laden drawings at Wolfgang Gallery are visions of our brains on internet.
—Felicia Feaster, AJC.com, 13 June 2026
Laura Ingalls Wilder may have been the official brains of Little House, but Michael Landon became the mastermind of the show itself.
—Kelly Martinez, Entertainment Weekly, 12 June 2026
Daydream, a fashion shopping platform that uses artificial intelligence, can confirm that silk scarves are on their users’ brains.
—Diana Tsui, Footwear News, 11 June 2026
To put it simply, the car is going from a collection of many small brains to a single large one.
—Sarwant Singh, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
But almost all of Western pop, rock, hip-hop and jazz is based off the system of 12 notes and their specific overtones—as a result, our brains have become attuned to them, and anything outside that system can just sound weird.
—Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 10 June 2026
The ancient tile game of Mahjong is making a major comeback in the United States, and for a group of local women, the surge in popularity is good news for their brains.
—Lauren Pastrana, CBS News, 4 June 2026
Despite having tiny brains, bumblebees have demonstrated a remarkable ability to socially learn how to use tools, solve simple puzzles, and cooperate to achieve a goal.
—Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 4 June 2026
Teaching kids to think critically and have fun offline will be far better skills to encode in their brains for the rest of their lives than scrolling.
—CNN Money, 4 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brains
Noun
-
If intelligence compounds as Nadella predicts, this time there will be a real first-mover advantage that didn’t exist in the internet era.—
Liz Hoffman,
semafor.com,
16 June 2026
-
Examples could include processing Earth observation data from satellites, military or intelligence data processing, scientific computing related to space missions, or specialized computing for satellites and other space assets.—
Sven Bilén,
The Conversation,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
That advantage was in large part offset by payments from UEFA’s ‘value pillar’, a mechanism which awards clubs money based upon their coefficient ranking (determined by past performance in European competition) and the size of their nation’s broadcast rights deal for the competition.—
Chris Weatherspoon,
New York Times,
30 May 2026
-
Their top-30 visits, where NFL clubs host prospects at their facilities to gather further intel, are often smokescreens.—
Luca Evans,
Denver Post,
19 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The gulf between their two worlds is wide, and Jude straddles it with wide-ranging intellect and his characteristic impish wit, while also telling a surprisingly heartfelt story about the lengths to which a mother will go for love.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
11 June 2026
-
The main aim, however, was not to improve the intellect but to live in imitation of Christ.—
Peter Wehner,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
But the plot also retains a serial quality that saps momentum and betrays its TV roots.—
Naveen Kumar,
Variety,
21 Apr. 2026
-
But hamate surgery often saps a hitter of power, something Lindor, Carroll and Holliday were expected to supply in 2026.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Cancer season shifts your focus towards nurturing a felt sense of security.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
21 June 2026
-
Starmer has vowed to fight any leadership contest, deepening the sense of crisis within the Labour Party.—
Issy Ronald,
CNN Money,
20 June 2026
Verb
-
The midfielder spears an accurate long ball to Yildiz, setting him away into the box.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
Noun
-
Many fans cited transportation logistics and enhanced security measures as key reasons for the delays.—
Abby Dodge,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
-
So what was the real reason Ilunga did it?—
Nick Miller,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Noun
-
Now, researchers and oncologists need to throw their brainpower into understanding how to do that even better, whether with this drug paired with others, or with the next wave of treatments.—
Lisa Jarvis,
Mercury News,
23 Apr. 2026
-
To understand what’s next, follow the flow of money and brainpower.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
9 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brains.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brains. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
