What does "thought" mean?
A representation created in the mind without the use of one's faculties of vision, sound, smell, touch, or taste; an instance of thinking.
Thought
/θɔt/ noun, verb
noun, verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A representation created in the mind without the use of one's faculties of vision, sound, smell, touch, or taste; an instance of thinking.
- Grammar: thought is listed as noun, verb.
- Nearest alternatives: idea, opinion, thinking, accommodatingness.
- Useful contrasts: careless, carelessness, disbelieve.
- Usage evidence: The last person I told my idea to thought I was nuts.
How to use "thought"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "thought" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "thought" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "thought" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "thought" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "thought" is acting as noun, verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "idea" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "thought", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A representation created in the mind without the use of one's faculties of vision, sound, smell, touch, or taste; an instance of thinking. countable
"The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another."
- 2 the process of using your mind to consider something carefully wordnet
- 3 The operation by which mental activity arise or are manipulated; the process of thinking; the agency by which thinking is accomplished. uncountable
"Without freedom of thought there can be no such thing as wisdom, and no such thing as public liberty without freedom of speech."
- 4 the content of cognition; the main thing you are thinking about wordnet
- 5 A way of thinking (associated with a group, nation or region). countable
"Traditional eastern thought differs markedly from that of the west."
Show 5 more definitions
- 6 a personal belief or judgment that is not founded on proof or certainty wordnet
- 7 Anxiety, distress. dialectal, uncountable
"Which of you by taking thought, can adde one cubite vnto his ſtature?"
- 8 the organized beliefs of a period or group or individual wordnet
- 9 The careful consideration of multiple factors; deliberation. uncountable
"After much thought, I have decided to stay."
- 10 A very small amount, distance, etc.; a whit or jot. countable, uncountable
"'Bide the night at Heriotside,' says he. 'It's a thought out of your way, but it's a comfortable bit.'"
Verb
- 1 simple past and past participle of think form-of, participle, past
"Hi! I thought I’d come over and introduce myself. My name’s Chema."
Example
"The last person I told my idea to thought I was nuts."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "thought"?
Common synonyms include: idea, opinion, thinking, accommodatingness, address, admonition.
How do you use "thought" in a sentence?
The last person I told my idea to thought I was nuts.
How do you pronounce "thought"?
Pronounced /θɔt/.
Etymology
From Middle English thought, ithoȝt, from Old English þōht, ġeþōht, from Proto-West Germanic *þą̄ht, from Proto-Germanic *þanhtaz, *gaþanhtą (“thought”), from Proto-Indo-European *teng- (“to think”). Cognate with Scots thocht (“thought”), Saterland Frisian Toacht (“thought”), West Frisian dacht (“attention, regard, thought”), Dutch gedachte (“thought”), German Andacht (“reverence, devotion, prayer”), Icelandic þóttur (“thought”). Related to thank, think.