Synonyms of thought

thought 1 of 2

noun

ˈthȯt 

1

as in idea

something imagined or pictured in the mind

I just had a thought: what if we both pitched in and bought him one big present instead of two smaller presents for his birthday?

Synonyms & Similar Words

• idea
• concept
• impression
• notion
• conception
• picture
• image
• cogitation
• abstraction
• perception
• observation
• intellection
• reflection
• hunch
• theory
• guess
• assumption
• mind's eye
• premonition
• belief
• presentiment
• apprehension
• preconception
• prejudice
• surmise
• illusion
• whim
• hypothesis
• speculation
• delusion
• hallucination
• prepossession
• conjecture
• cognition
• chimera
• conviction
• vagary
• conceit
• fancy
• conclusion
• phantasm
• caprice
• freak
• supposition
• kink
• inspiration
• brain wave
• brainstorm
• brainchild

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fact
• reality
• actuality

2

as in consideration

a careful weighing of the reasons for or against something

I'll give your request some thought and then let you know what my decision is

Synonyms & Similar Words

• consideration
• deliberation
• study
• debate
• reflection
• account
• advisement
• contemplation
• hesitation
• meditation
• pondering
• introspection
• cogitation
• rumination
• indecision
• premeditation
• agonizing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• disregard
• neglect
• short shrift

thought

2 of 2

verb

past tense of think

as in believed

to have as an opinion

I think we should wait for someone to come help us out

Synonyms & Similar Words

• believed
• guessed
• figured
• considered
• imagined
• felt
• deemed
• supposed
• conceived
• perceived
• judged
• assumed
• reckoned
• held
• allowed
• regarded
• esteemed
• viewed
• accepted
• presumed
• relied
• concluded
• depended
• surmised
• deduced
• trusted
• presupposed
• inferred

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• suspected
• doubted
• questioned
• rejected
• distrusted
• mistrusted
• discredited
• disbelieved

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun thought contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of thought are conception, concept, idea, impression, and notion. While all these words mean "what exists in the mind as a representation (as of something comprehended) or as a formulation (as of a plan)," thought is likely to suggest the result of reflecting, reasoning, or meditating rather than of imagining.

commit your thoughts to paper

When might concept be a better fit than thought?

The words concept and thought are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, concept may apply to the idea formed by consideration of instances of a species or genus or, more broadly, to any idea of what a thing ought to be.

a society with no concept of private property

How do conception and concept relate to one another, in the sense of thought?

Conception is often interchangeable with concept; it may stress the process of imagining or formulating rather than the result.

our changing conception of what constitutes art

When is it sensible to use idea instead of thought?

Although the words idea and thought have much in common, idea may apply to a mental image or formulation of something seen or known or imagined, to a pure abstraction, or to something assumed or vaguely sensed.

innovative ideas

my idea of paradise

When would impression be a good substitute for thought?

The synonyms impression and thought are sometimes interchangeable, but impression applies to an idea or notion resulting immediately from some stimulation of the senses.

the first impression is of soaring height

In what contexts can notion take the place of thought?

While in some cases nearly identical to thought, notion suggests an idea not much resolved by analysis or reflection and may suggest the capricious or accidental.

you have the oddest notions

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of thought

Noun

After taking down the British Union of Fascists from the inside, Tommy has mostly kept a low profile, but the thought of his heir siding with the Nazis might be enough to pull him back into the fight. —Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 19 Feb. 2026

Their thoughts remain focused on the victims. —Yi-Jin Yu, ABC News, 19 Feb. 2026

Verb

For those who thought that hunter-gatherers were lost to the pages of history, think again. —Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 Feb. 2026

Robert Zubrin, who has thought more about settling Mars than perhaps anyone alive today, thinks that Martian children would have to work a lot more than most kids do on Earth these days. —Literary Hub, 20 Feb. 2026

Phrases Containing thought

• second thought