1 A2 neutral
To recall or bring to mind; to remember.
"I can't think of his name right now, but I'm sure it'll come to me."
inseparable
think of
A2 neutral inseparable transitive
To have a particular idea, image, or memory come to mind; to consider or regard someone or something.
In plain English
To remember or imagine something, or to have an idea.
What does "think of" mean?
4 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 A2 neutral
To produce an idea; to come up with something through imagination or creativity.
"Can you think of a better title for the report?"
inseparable
3 A2 neutral
To hold an opinion about someone or something; to regard in a certain way.
"What do you think of the new office design?"
inseparable
4 B1 neutral
To show care or consideration for someone; to have someone in your thoughts.
"It was kind of you to think of me when you heard the news."
inseparable
Usage tip
Extremely common and versatile. Can express: remembering ('I just thought of something'), imagining ('I can't think of anything worse'), forming an opinion ('What do you think of it?'), or showing care ('I was thinking of you'). The question 'What do you think of…?' is a very common conversational opener.
Words that pair with "think of"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
idea name word solution someone nothing
How to conjugate "think of"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
think of
I/you/we/they
3rd person
thinks of
he/she/it
Past simple
thought of
yesterday
Past participle
thought of
have + pp
-ing form
thinking of
continuous
Hear "think of" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "think of" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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