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 Teigen thinks a Bravo show might be more her speed. Dana Rose Falcone, People.com, 21 Mar. 2025 The University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment Index for February indicated that consumers think inflation will climb at an annual rate of 3.5% over the next five to 10 years. Zach Halaschak, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 9 Mar. 2025 Our Test Kitchen recipe tester thought the instructions were accurate and easy to follow. Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 Mar. 2025 Analyzing the legendary unicorn tapestries hanging at the Met Cloisters in New York (augmented here by a gory new panel that depicts the suddenly fearsome animals disemboweling and impaling their aggressors), Ridley concludes that unicorns aren’t nearly as benevolent as most people think. Peter Debruge, Variety, 9 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for think
Recent Examples of Synonyms for think
Verb
  • Turk-Browne believes there are multiple possible explanations, including the theory that those recollections simply never make it to the long-term storage regions of the brain.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 21 Mar. 2025
  • About six people, believed to be teenagers, fled the house and ran into the nearby Edenwald Houses, according to police sources.
    Elizabeth Keogh, New York Daily News, 21 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • With real-time data missing, the broader community is left guessing about which strains are circulating in the United States right now — an especially concerning blind spot given the threat of H5N1 and the constant mutation of seasonal flu viruses.
    Richard Hughes IV, Baltimore Sun, 19 Mar. 2025
  • As fans of Meredith Grey's chaotic love life can probably guess, the scene in question was her one-night stand with T.R. Knight's George O' Malley.
    Shania Russell, EW.com, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Instead imagine your brain as a machine-learning model.
    Dalton Conley, TIME, 19 Mar. 2025
  • The Future May Be Port-Free Just imagine: no USB-C connector at the base of the phone, with only charging through a charging pad as an option, and with data synced exclusively wirelessly.
    David Phelan, Forbes, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The Pac-12 is reportedly considering something similar.
    Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 19 Mar. 2025
  • That is why seeing consensus first-round pick Omarion Hampton, widely considered the second-best running back in this year's class behind Ashton Jeanty, ranked as the seventh-best running back in the draft is a bit jarring.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 19 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The plan is to go clubbing, and right away things start to feel dodgy.
    Erik Kain, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • On Married to Medicine, Parks left a cast trip after feeling like the girls had set her up, inviting her ex-husband and his new wife to the getaway Dr. Heavenly organized.
    Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 16 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Think.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/think. Accessed 25 Mar. 2025.

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