as in doubt
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.
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Recent Examples of second thought
And then a second thought immediately popped into his head.
—
oregonlive, 3 May 2022
My second thought, as the slap hit home, was: Why did nobody think of this before?
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2022
In the past, Fischer, 40, who lives in Miami Beach, Fla., wouldn’t have given his mild cold symptoms a second thought.
—Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2021
As the existing workforce exits the industry and new technological innovation changes how projects are imagined and built, the industry has a unique opportunity to attract a new type of worker who may never have given construction a second thought.
—Mark Schwartz, Forbes, 17 May 2021
See All Example Sentences for second thought
oregonlive, 3 May 2022
My second thought, as the slap hit home, was: Why did nobody think of this before?
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 28 Mar. 2022
In the past, Fischer, 40, who lives in Miami Beach, Fla., wouldn’t have given his mild cold symptoms a second thought.
—Washington Post, 22 Oct. 2021
As the existing workforce exits the industry and new technological innovation changes how projects are imagined and built, the industry has a unique opportunity to attract a new type of worker who may never have given construction a second thought.
—Mark Schwartz, Forbes, 17 May 2021
See All Example Sentences for second thought
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second thought
Noun
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Still, Madrid’s governance model is integral to the club’s self-image, although few doubt that Perez has been the most influential in setting policy during his two spells as president (2000-2006 and since 2009).—
Dermot Corrigan,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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Still, there were lingering doubts.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
15 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Del Toro’s explanation for this paradox revealed to Isaac that Victor Frankenstein operates without doubt or hesitation—until his catastrophic moment of reckoning.—
Clayton Davis,
Variety,
17 Oct. 2025
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Tariffs appear to have stabilized, and while brands remain aware of global uncertainties, there’s a clear shift toward action, not hesitation.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
13 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Second thought.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second%20thought. Accessed 20 Oct. 2025.
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