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⇱ THOUGHT Definition & Meaning | Dictionary.com


thought

1 American  
[thawt] / θɔt /

noun

  1. the product of mental activity; that which one thinks.

    a body of thought.

  2. a single act or product of thinking; idea or notion.

    to collect one's thoughts.

  3. the act or process of thinking; mental activity.

    Thought as well as action wearies us.

    Synonyms:
    cogitation, reflection, deliberation, rumination, meditation
  4. the capacity or faculty of thinking, reasoning, imagining, etc..

    All her thought went into her work.

  5. a consideration or reflection.

    Thought of death terrified her.

  6. meditation, contemplation, or recollection.

    deep in thought.

  7. intention, design, or purpose, especially a half-formed or imperfect intention.

    We had some thought of going.

  8. anticipation or expectation.

    I had no thought of seeing you here.

  9. consideration, attention, care, or regard.

    She took no thought of her appearance.

  10. a judgment, opinion, or belief.

    According to his thought, all violence is evil.

  11. the intellectual activity or the ideas, opinions, etc., characteristic of a particular place, class, or time.

    Greek thought.

  12. a very small amount; a touch; bit; trifle.

    The steak is a thought underdone.


thought 2 American  
[thawt] / θɔt /

verb

  1. simple past tense and past participle of think.


thought British  
/ θɔːt /

verb

  1. the past tense and past participle of think

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. the act or process of thinking; deliberation, meditation, or reflection

  2. a concept, opinion, or idea

  3. philosophical or intellectual ideas typical of a particular time or place

    German thought in the 19th century

  4. application of mental attention; consideration

    he gave the matter some thought

  5. purpose or intention

    I have no thought of giving up

  6. expectation

    no thought of reward

  7. a small amount; trifle

    you could be a thought more enthusiastic

  8. kindness or regard

    he has no thought for his widowed mother

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
thought Idioms  

Usage

Spelling tips for thought The word thought is hard to spell because it sounds as if it should be spelled [ thawt ]. The combination of letters -ought can be pronounced many different ways (nine to be exact!). How to spell thought: Thinking is hard work. It might make you go "oh! ugh!" (-ough). Add a t to the end and you get thought.

Etymology

Origin of thought

First recorded before 900; Middle English thoght, Old English (ge)thōht; cognate with Dutch gedachte; akin to thank, think 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.

"After that year, I just lost all hope. I thought 'I'm never going to get him back'," she said.

From BBC • Apr. 7, 2026

"I thought AI was going to be curing cancer or something."

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

These companies are less exposed to sanctions because they are thought to pay for oil from Iran using yuan instead of dollars.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

“I was amazed with how clearly she thought, how focused and articulate she was in the middle of such heavy situations. She loves you deeply,” Anna wrote to Joseph.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2026

“Are you and Angelina . . .” I thought about how to put it.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith

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.