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 Here’s a look at what some of the top critics thought. Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 27 Oct. 2025 The idea of even having to make a decision like the one being contemplated in Dynamite is so difficult that most presidents would prefer not think about it until absolutely necessary. Jake Kring-Schreifels, Time, 27 Oct. 2025 And there’s somebody in particular from season 27 that Grodner thinks would have most likely won it. Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 27 Oct. 2025 The bodies of 13 hostages are thought to remain in Gaza. David Brennan, ABC News, 27 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for think
Recent Examples of Synonyms for think
Verb
  • Family told the Tampa Bay Times that no one believed her, and a police report was never filed.
    Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
  • In what is believed to be the first of its kind at a major art museum, the Fondation Beyeler has appointed Swiss academic Rahel Kesselring as its inaugural botanical curator.
    Fiona Sinclair Scott, CNN Money, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Heidi Klum kept fans guessing all day with hints about her 2025 Halloween costume.
    Lauren Huff, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Nov. 2025
  • Watters asked while trying to guess the costume.
    Anthony Robledo, USA Today, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • With unpredictable twists and emotions running high, this Halloween is especially chaotic, and Mutable signs — Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius and Pisces — can't imagine what's in store.
    Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
  • The Chesapeake Bay—the largest estuary in the continental United States—used to be packed with oysters, more than anyone today might imagine.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Now, Seven Point is strongly considering Houlihan Lokey to provide the mark-to-market valuation analysis of its portfolio holdings to deliver to investors.
    Shawn Tully, Fortune, 1 Nov. 2025
  • The 24 entry-level terrace rooms start at 645 square feet, with spacious balconies overlooking the garden; the 14 Upper Terrace rooms, one floor up, are the same size, but considered ocean-facing, given the elevated viewpoint.
    Jacqui Gifford, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Yet amidst this external focus on varied lyric forms, the drive in this collection feels narrative, the stories history doubling and echoing myth and history.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • With the staff and roster Lucas has brought in, Young feels good days are ahead.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Think.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/think. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.

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