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thinking

thinking

3.6
Able to reason and understand, like humans and some animals
  • adjective
  • /ˈθɪŋkɪŋ/
translation icon : pensante
  • Her thinking skills helped her solve complex problems in class.

There's an explanation for these were thinking creatures with speech and ancient wisdom.

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Examples

  • The thinking dog seemed to understand the commands perfectly.

  • I go, yeah, that's the thinking mind that knows.

  • He approached the challenge with a critical thinking mindset.

Synonyms

intelligent
vsthinking
507 3.4

Able to think, understand, and learn new things

is the general capacity to reason and use intellect, not only high level
clear-thinking
vsthinking
3 4.2

Able to think calmly and logically without confusion or distraction

is overall capacity to reason and use intellect, not a clear method of using reason

Antonyms

39 4.1

Not thinking or paying attention before acting

1 7.1

Slow to notice things and to understand what they mean

Idioms

To show surprise and criticism of a bad choice

Compounds

Thinking carefully about information to make a clear decision

wishful thinking
  • Informal
45 4.1

Believing something you want will happen even though it is unlikely

To think and react quickly when things go wrong

thinking cap
  • Informal
7 5.3

A quiet, focused way of thinking to solve a problem

Thinking in new ways to make things or solve problems

A careful use of reason to solve problems

A way to solve problems by looking at them from new angles

A way to find new, creative ideas to solve problems

To solve problems using new creative ideas

1 6.4

A way to find new ideas that ignores practical limits

convergent thinking
  • Specialized
7.4

A way of using facts and reason to reach a single correct answer

A way of thinking that comes up with many different ideas to solve a problem

A way of looking at a problem by breaking it into smaller parts to see how they work together

9.3

Slow to accept new ideas or change

Combining ideas from different fields to make a single clear whole

How Intelligent

brilliant
949 3.7
intelligent
507 3.4
thinking
3.6
unthinking
4 4.9
simple-minded
  • Offensive
16 7.1

Surface Forms

thinking positive

Morphology

thinking = think (transparent) = think + ing

The adjective is formed from the verb with -ing and denotes someone capable of or engaged in thought; meaning is directly related to 'think'.

Etymology

The word thinking as an adjective comes from the same base think plus -ing, so it describes someone or something that can 'think' or use their mind. That's why we call people or animals thinking when they can reason, solve problems, or make decisions.