critical thinking
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of critical thinking
First recorded in 1810–15
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.
Nearly all are requiring ethics courses along the way — as educators continue to grapple with cheating and with fears that heavy AI use will erode critical thinking.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2026
Truly creative and inspiring art undermines that goal, because it provokes responses like empathy and critical thinking in audiences — which gets in the way of authoritarian domination.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2026
One 2025 MIT study went viral for its finding that students using generative AI to write essays displayed less critical thinking capability.
From Barron's ● Jul. 15, 2026
This is a good opportunity to demonstrate your critical thinking skills, Lewis noted.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 9, 2026
Here is what that means—ideologues are narrow-minded people, incapable of independent thought and critical thinking.
From "Towers Falling" by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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.
