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
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
Would Daenerys Targaryen have lit that place up without a second thought?
—Lauren Morgan, EW.com, 23 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for second thought
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
Would Daenerys Targaryen have lit that place up without a second thought?
—Lauren Morgan, EW.com, 23 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for second thought
Recent Examples of Synonyms for second thought
Noun
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There is no doubt about Arsenal’s effectiveness on attacking corners, but even after the returns of Havertz and Gabriel, there will be areas to improve on the defensive side.—
Ahmed Walid,
New York Times,
18 May 2025
-
For subsumed within Lincoln’s willingness to accept the Chicago nomination was knowledge — perhaps without a doubt — of what actions by states were to come and what actions were morally right for the government to pursue.—
Michael Peregrine,
Chicago Tribune,
18 May 2025
Noun
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As the fintech industry recalibrates—shifting from growth-at-all-costs to sustainable, focused models—leaders like Ferris are proving that clarity beats chaos, and conviction beats hesitation.—
Nicole Casperson,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2025
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Part of the hesitation expressed by business centers on understanding how the tariffs will affect consumers’ view of the economy.—
Alex Harring,
CNBC,
9 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Second thought.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/second%20thought. Accessed 22 May. 2025.
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