Definition of thinknext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word think distinct from other similar verbs?

Some common synonyms of think are conceive, envisage, envision, fancy, imagine, and realize. While all these words mean "to form an idea of," think implies the entrance of an idea into one's mind with or without deliberate consideration or reflection.

I just thought of a good joke

When is it sensible to use conceive instead of think?

Although the words conceive and think have much in common, conceive suggests the forming and bringing forth and usually developing of an idea, plan, or design.

conceived of a new marketing approach

How do envisage and envision relate to one another, in the sense of think?

Both envisage and envision imply a conceiving or imagining that is especially clear or detailed.

envisaged a totally computerized operation
envisioned a cure for the disease

When is fancy a more appropriate choice than think?

The synonyms fancy and think are sometimes interchangeable, but fancy suggests an imagining often unrestrained by reality but spurred by desires.

fancied himself a super athlete

When might imagine be a better fit than think?

The words imagine and think can be used in similar contexts, but imagine stresses a visualization.

imagine you're at the beach

When can realize be used instead of think?

In some situations, the words realize and think are roughly equivalent. However, realize stresses a grasping of the significance of what is conceived or imagined.

realized the enormity of the task ahead

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 think That shift is reshaping how consumers plan trips, how hospitality brands think about demand, and how platforms organize lodging options. Jeff Fromm, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 Stories once thought too complex for broadcast were now most in demand from HBO, FX and Netflix. Hernan Lopez, Variety, 10 July 2026 So what do the private companies—the key players are Axiom Space, Vast Space, Voyager, Blue Origin, and possibly SpaceX—think about the new document? Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 10 July 2026 At the moment, for example, its advisers are fielding a large number of questions from baby boomers who are thinking of relocating to be closer to their children. Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 10 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for think
Recent Examples of Synonyms for think
Verb
  • Wardlaw, a homeless man who prosecutors said frequently slept on the Greenbelt and believed people on scooters were after him, was held in custody without bond.
    Carolyn Komatsoulis Updated July 13, Idaho Statesman, 14 July 2026
  • Assemblymember Rick Chavez Zbur (D-Hollywood), who co-wrote the legislation that expanded the film and television tax credit, says that the cap appears to have been an oversight, and that members believed the film program was exempt.
    Gio Insignares, CBS News, 14 July 2026
Verb
  • How To Play Wordle Wordle is a daily word puzzle game where your goal is to guess a hidden five-letter word in six tries or fewer.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
  • Who would have guessed that Butch—Butch—could inspire such feelings in anyone, let alone the man who had spent 23 years waiting for his brother to leave.
    Emily Ruskovich, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • If one or two other states matched our output, imagine the boasting Trump could do, legitimately, about the economy.
    Steve Lopez, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2026
  • One is to look for hypothetical superstructures called Dyson spheres, which were a familiar concept to Kardashev as they had been imagined by American physicist Freeman Dyson in 1960.
    Jacopo Prisco, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
Verb
  • And on bikes no-one sane would ever consider banging around a racetrack on.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 6 July 2026
  • The Teller's wedding no-show still comes a surprise, considering Keleigh has been friends with Taylor for well over a decade.
    Emlyn Travis, Entertainment Weekly, 6 July 2026
Verb
  • Either way, for a community facing such deep loss, the space felt to Dondi like a warm blanket.
    Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • On one wall, Garcia has some of his hats on display, beautifully constructed in beaver felt.
    Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 6 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Think.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/think. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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