THINK

verb [I or T ] A1 (irregular: think - thought - thought) • synonyms: believe, suppose, consider, reckon • think (that)...; think something is...; think about/of someone/something

(OPINION/BELIEF) to have an opinion, belief, or judgment about something; to believe or suppose something is true; this meaning is about having opinions and beliefs, not the mental process itself

verb [I ] A1 (irregular: think - thought - thought) • synonyms: consider, ponder, contemplate, reflect • think about something; think carefully/hard/deeply (before...); need/want time to think • freq in AmE: 10/10

(USE MIND/CONSIDER) to use your mind to consider something, solve problems, or make decisions; the mental process of reasoning

verb [I usually + adv/prep or T ] B1 (irregular: think - thought - thought) • synonyms: recall, remember, come up with, imagine • think of something; think where/what/how... • freq in AmE: 10/10

(REMEMBER/IMAGINE) to remember or recall something; to imagine or bring something to mind

grammar pattern with think verb [I ] A1 (think - thought - thought)💡"That" is OPTIONAL and often omitted in informal speech. "I think it's good" = "I think that it's good." • freq in AmE: 10/10

to have an opinion or belief; used to express what you believe to be true

grammar pattern with think verb [I ] A1 (think - thought - thought)⚠️Note: "About" shows the SUBJECT of your thoughts - what you're thinking concerning. Different from "think of" • freq in AmE: 10/10

to consider, contemplate, or have thoughts concerning something or someone

grammar pattern with think verb [I ] A2 (think - thought - thought)⚠️Note: "Think of" has TWO uses: (1) recall/come up with (can't think of his name), (2) opinion (what do you think of...?). Different from "think about"

to remember, recall, or come up with something/someone; to have someone/something come to mind

grammar pattern with think verb [I or T ] A2 (think - thought - thought)

to have an opinion that someone or something has a particular quality or characteristic

grammar pattern with think verb [I ] B1 (think - thought - thought)⚠️Note: Often used in negative or question form. Means having the foresight or remembering to do something.

to remember or have the presence of mind to do something

grammar pattern with think verb [I ] A1 (think - thought - thought)💡Can be used alone or with "about/of." One of THE most common ways to ask for opinions in English.

a question asking for someone's opinion, judgment, or assessment

grammar pattern with think verb [I ] B1 (think - thought - thought)💡Often used as advice or warning. "Think twice" = be very careful, reconsider. Can be positive (wise caution) or negative (unnecessary hesitation).

to consider something very carefully before making a decision; to reconsider or hesitate

collocation with think verb [I ] C2⚠️Common variations: "think highly of" (great respect), "think well of" (good opinion), "think poorly/badly of" (low opinion), "not think much of" (dismissive, low opinion). It is more formal than simple "like/dislike.

to have a good opinion of someone or something

collocation with think verb [I ] C2⚠️Common variations: "think highly of" (great respect), "think well of" (good opinion), "think poorly/badly of" (low opinion), "not think much of" (dismissive, low opinion). It is more formal than simple "like/dislike.

to have a good opinion of someone or something

collocation with think verb [I ] C2⚠️Common variations: "think highly of" (great respect), "think well of" (good opinion), "think poorly/badly of" (low opinion), "not think much of" (dismissive, low opinion). It is more formal than simple "like/dislike.

to have a bad opinion of someone

collocation with think verb [I ] C2⚠️Common variations: "think highly of" (great respect), "think well of" (good opinion), "think poorly/badly of" (low opinion), "not think much of" (dismissive, low opinion). It is more formal than simple "like/dislike.

to have a low opinion of someone or something:

collocation with think verb [I ] A2 (think - thought - thought)

phrases used to agree or disagree with a statement or question without repeating the full idea

— phrasal verb with think verb [I ] B1 or idiom (think - thought - thought)

to form your own opinions and make your own decisions independently, without following others

— phrasal verb with think verb [I ] C2 (think - thought - thought) • think ahead (to something)

to plan or consider what might happen in the future; to anticipate future needs or problems

— phrasal verb with think verb [I or T ] B2 (think - thought - thought) • think something ⇔ through 💡Different from "think something over" - "think through" = systematic, step-by-step analysis; "think over" = general reconsideration.

to consider all aspects of something carefully and thoroughly before deciding or acting

— phrasal verb with think verb [I or T ] B2 • think something ⇔ over 💡This is similar to "think through" but: "think through" = systematic, step-by-step analysis of ALL aspects; "think over" = general reconsideration, mulling it over.

to consider or reconsider something carefully before making a decision

— phrasal verb with think verb [I or T ] B2 (think - thought - thought) • think something ⇔ up

to invent or create something new, especially a plan, idea, or excuse

— phrasal verb with think verb [I ] C2 (think - thought - thought)

to remember or recall a past event, time, or experience

collocation with think verb [I ] B2 • synonyms: reconsider, change your mind, decide against • think better of doing something • freq in AmE: 8/10

to decide not to do something after reconsidering; to change your mind about a plan or action

collocation with think verb [I or T ] B2 • synonyms: consider normal, have no problem with, not bat an eye at • think nothing of doing something • freq in AmE: 8/10

to consider something completely normal or unimportant; to do something without hesitation or difficulty

collocation with think [I ] verb B1

used to introduce a thought or realization that has just occurred to you; used when you suddenly remember or realize something💡 Always at the BEGINNING of a sentence. Signals a new thought or realization. Very common conversational phrase.

collocation with think verb [I or T ] B1 idiomatic expression • synonyms: can’t concentrate, can’t focus, mind is foggy

to be unable to think clearly or logically, usually due to stress, tiredness, or strong emotions

idiom B1 (less common variant: think out of the box) • think outside the box to do something💡Very common in business and education. Sometimes criticized as overused corporate jargon. "Outside-the-box thinking" = noun form.

to think creatively and unconventionally; to consider new, unusual, or innovative ideas beyond standard approaches

idiom B2 • synonyms: think quickly, improvise, react fast

to think quickly and react to situations intelligently without preparation; to improvise or make quick decisions under pressure

collocation with think verb [I or T ] B1 • synonyms: be optimistic, stay positive, look on the bright side💡Both "think positive" (informal) and "think positively" (formal) are correct. "Positive thinking" = noun form.

to focus on good things and maintain an optimistic mindset; to approach situations with hopeful expectations

idiom B1 • synonyms: be ambitious, aim high, dream big💡Emphasizes ambition and scale. Opposite of "thinking small" or "playing it safe." Common in business and entrepreneurship.

to have ambitious plans or ideas; to aim high and not limit yourself to small goals

collocation with think verb [I ] B1 US • (UK more formal think aloud) • synonyms: verbalize thoughts, talk through your thinking, voice your thoughts

to say your thoughts as you think them; to verbalize your thought process

idiom B2 (also think highly of someone/something)

to have a very high opinion of someone; to admire, respect, or love someone greatly

collocation with think verb [I ] B1 exclamatory phrase • synonyms: just imagine!, can you believe!, think about it!

an exclamation used to emphasize something surprising, interesting, or worth imagining