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 Women’s health is often thought of as consisting solely of reproductive health issues. Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 10 Apr. 2026 Mamdani's approval rating A Marist Poll published Wednesday revealed 48% of NYC residents think Mayor Mamdani is doing a good job so far, 30% disapprove of his performance, while 23% are unsure how to rate him. Christina Fan, CBS News, 10 Apr. 2026 Even smokers think smoking is bad for one’s health. Marie Helweg-Larsen, The Conversation, 10 Apr. 2026 Columnist Michael Cunningham thinks so. Tyler Estep, AJC.com, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for think
Recent Examples of Synonyms for think
Verb
  • This was believed to be the first time in baseball history a player has robbed three homers in one game.
    ABC News, ABC News, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Police said it was believed the driver initiated the right turn and hit the bicyclist, a 69-year-old man from Joliet, believed to have been traveling eastbound on the sidewalk on the south side of West Jefferson Street and had entered the roadway to cross Springfield Avenue.
    Jeramie Bizzle, CBS News, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • So said American novelist Wallace Stegner in the 1980s, and guess what – the country’s people still seem to agree.
    John Metcalfe, Mercury News, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Meta employees don’t have to guess.
    Jacqueline Munis, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Uncompetitive contests that feature anonymous rosters as stars – or even competent role players – are shut down for the season with injuries both real and imagined.
    Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
  • The second narrative, the one that came later—with science fiction reinventing the robot as gleaming, futuristic, aspirational—built a future that, as imagined by European and American science fiction writers, was white.
    Deni Ellis Béchard, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • Overland Park is considering building new community pools as part of its widespread parks and recreation master plan.
    Taylor O'Connor, Kansas City Star, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Families should consider making a nutritious snack available an hour or so before sports practices so children with that earlier lunch time have energy available to fuel activities.
    Dr. Sarah Kinsella, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • The deeper layers of your soul may feel much nearer to the surface than usual.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 6 Apr. 2026
  • Flattening the curve—making bad floods somewhat less bad—feels achievable.
    Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Think.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/think. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.

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