thought 1 of 2

thought

2 of 2

verb

past tense of think

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

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 thought
Noun
With the first major of the season less than two weeks away, the 55-year-old broke his silence about his time in prison and shared his thoughts on the events that landed him behind bars. Ron Estes, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Mar. 2025 Fox News Digital spoke to three Southern chefs and a barbecue expert to get their thoughts on the standout pit stops. Peter Burke, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
Some of the rules, like only having one serve, should also give tennis pause for thought about whether there are elements of UTS that would work well on the main tour. Charlie Eccleshare, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024 The system as envisioned in the First Amendment, that the government cannot interfere with the freedom of the press, is working precisely as the Founders thought. New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 24 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for thought
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thought
Noun
  • While most jurisdictions are moving forward with digital tax reforms to ensure that foreign providers contribute to public revenue, the Dominican Republic has so far stepped back—highlighting the complex political and economic considerations that influence digital tax policy.
    Aleksandra Bal, Forbes, 23 Mar. 2025
  • Varley’s grip, her taut observation of nerve-wracking isolation, loosens and the film devolves into a blunt and clichéd consideration of family.
    Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • The first myth is that innovation hinges on a single monumental idea.
    Mark Nevins, Forbes, 24 Mar. 2025
  • The basic idea goes back to the 1960s, when Disney started pumping smells into its theme parks, even patenting its own odor-making machine, the Smellitzer.
    Susan Campos, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Estimates of Gaza’s Christian population range from roughly 800 to more than 1,000, although hundreds are believed to have left for Egypt, Canada and Australia since the war began.
    Aaron Boxerman, New York Times, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Bells in the church, with a gold cross on its steeple visible on Broadway and surrounding blocks, are believed to be more than 170 years old.
    Lucas Aulbach, The Courier-Journal, 24 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • This was intended to be a an [sic] internal and private deliberation amongst high-level senior staff and sensitive information was discussed.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 26 Mar. 2025
  • In addition, the public must be assured these sorts of internal deliberations will in the future occur only in a secure setting.
    The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 25 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Following in this line of thought, the current state of the culture wars is evidently a reaction to hegemony that progressive concepts achieved, particularly in the immediately preceding period.
    Agustino Fontevecchia, Forbes.com, 29 Mar. 2025
  • The concept of personalized treatment plans for pets mirrors a trend in the human medical field, where topics like personalized wellness and healthy aging are increasingly popular.
    Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 29 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Strong passwords that are not easily guessed and/or a password manager.
    Chuck Brooks, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024
  • Jenny McCarthy-Wahlberg guessed Jason Derulo.
    Michael Schneider, Variety, 19 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • My impression of bath mats, from years of owning ones that end up getting soggy on contact, was that there was little to nothing to do about mildew, puddles of water, and discoloration.
    Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 27 Mar. 2025
  • And those first impressions include just about everything.
    Terri Williams, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Thomas’ favorite parts about leading tours are meeting different kinds of people and watching anyone with a negative or preconceived notion about certain parts of Chicago change their opinion over the course of a tour.
    Shanzeh Ahmad, Chicago Tribune, 22 Mar. 2025
  • Companies will need to justify in-person work with meaningful collaboration, rather than rigid policies based on outdated notions of productivity.
    Jason Wingard, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025

Cite this Entry

“Thought.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thought. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on thought

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!