thinking
Americanadjective
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rational; reasoning.
People are thinking animals.
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thoughtful; reflective.
Any thinking person would reject that plan.
noun
noun
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opinion or judgment
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the process of thought
adjective
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(prenominal) using or capable of using intelligent thought
thinking people
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to ponder a matter or problem
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of thinking
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English thenking (noun); see think 1, -ing 2, -ing 1
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The conditions were so bad that Thrall and Chmielewski both recorded farewell messages for their loved ones, thinking they may not make it back alive.
From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026
I remember thinking her diatribe about the injustice of Hester Prynne’s shunning would segue into the cruelties Charles faced with the goal of inspiring someone to defy the blacklist.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 10, 2026
Give yourself 30 minutes of thinking on your own before hitting up Claude.
From Salon • Jun. 10, 2026
Pratt’s first mistake was thinking that Angelenos wanted a campaign of wanton rage.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 10, 2026
I was staring at her, thinking that if she wasn’t leaving, there was no way I would leave.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
