second thoughts

plural of second thought
as in irresolutions
a feeling of guilt, doubt, worry, etc., that you have after you have decided to do something or after something has happened After she agreed to lend him the money, she had second thoughts. She was having second thoughts about getting married.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for second thoughts
Noun
  • But, yes, quality wins also would go a long way toward further erasing doubts.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 2 Nov. 2026
  • Not long after the twins were born, Willis had momentary doubts about the procedure.
    — Megan Molteni, STAT, 2 Nov. 2026
Noun
  • Some of these misgivings are serious enough to warrant getting up from the table — Robby finds Fraser in the pantry to ask him to adjust the temperature of the wine.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 27 Oct. 2026
  • Default insurance on the company also widened, signaling some misgivings on the company’s plans.
    — Ellen DiMauro, semafor.com, 22 Oct. 2026
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.

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Second thoughts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second%20thoughts. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster