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Definition of thinknext

think (about or over)

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verb (2)

think (of)

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verb (3)

think (up)

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verb (4)

thinker

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noun

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
Verb
Uranus in Gemini wants people to think for themselves, question everything and evolve on an intellectual level. Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 15 May 2026 Maybe something that people don’t think about. AFAR Media, 15 May 2026
Noun
The individual who once grappled with learning disabilities emerged into a scholarly critical thinker. Jason Jones, New York Times, 10 May 2026 Footnote to fame Thoreau rose to fame as an original American thinker. Robert M. Thorson, The Conversation, 8 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for think
Recent Examples of Synonyms for think
Verb
  • Now might not seem the moment for Democrats to be quarrelling, but many of them believe that the only way to build the Party back up is to remake it.
    Amy Davidson Sorkin, New Yorker, 17 May 2026
  • Upper Darby Police Superintendent Timothy Bernhardt told 6 ABC that investigators believe a group of friends, who included two boys and two girls, were hanging out at the home when the fatal shooting occurred.
    Erin Clack, PEOPLE, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • The ballot measure may prove to be a referendum of how much the council is in step with Lee at a time when Oakland’s leaders are contemplating how the city’s divisions of power could be reshaped.
    Shomik Mukherjee, Mercury News, 15 May 2026
  • Coleman made just three appearances for Everton this term and will take a break this summer before contemplating his next move.
    Patrick Boyland, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • Schiraldi remembers her saying.
    Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 11 May 2026
  • But please remember – this team deserved a starting center to compete with the best teams next year.
    Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 May 2026
Verb
  • The diner offers certificates of completion for those who finish the trek, and devised a burger named for the route.
    Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 12 May 2026
  • In March, the school board directed the superintendent to devise a plan to eliminate 3,000 job positions over three years to save about $250 million.
    Amanda Rosa, Miami Herald, 12 May 2026
Noun
  • This has been, in no small part, because Russia’s writers have often played an antagonistic role in the efforts of Russia’s rulers to shape a particular image of the country, including Alexander Pushkin and Leo Tolstoy—arguably Russia’s two most iconic literary geniuses.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
  • Jeffries was hailed as a messaging genius, and his status as a rising star was cemented.
    Jason Zengerle, New Yorker, 18 May 2026
Noun
  • Instead, the seductive peacefulness of the house brought to her mind the contemplative sets in the BBC adaptation of Wolf Hall.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 16 May 2026
  • Keep in mind that the Nomadix is essentially only an off-road e-moto, as it is not yet homologated for street riding.
    New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • There, scientists guess that lower temperatures are causing carbon dioxide to freeze out of the atmosphere, with the CO2 falling as dry-ice snow and pulling dust down with it.
    Meghan Bartels, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
  • Redistricting shouldn’t leave people guessing, residents deserve clarity, access, and confidence in who represents them and how to engage with county government.
    Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Verb
  • Instead, Sydney Lohmann opted to go for goal instead of laying it off, reducing Shaw to toeing the blades of grass beneath her and pondering what might have been.
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 17 May 2026
  • Ikumelo pondered for a moment and went for Keke Palmer, star of Hustlers and Pimp.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 14 May 2026

Cite this Entry

“Think.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/think. Accessed 18 May. 2026.

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