critical thinking

noun

: the act or practice of thinking critically (as by applying reason and questioning assumptions) in order to solve problems, evaluate information, discern biases, etc.

Today, what we call the Socratic method is a way of teaching that fosters critical thinking, in part by encouraging students to question their own unexamined beliefs, as well as the received wisdom of those around them.—

Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt

: the set of skills, methods, etc. involved in critical thinking

Media literacy enlivens how our schools teach critical thinking by serving as a bridge between the classroom and the world in which our young people live most of their waking lives.—

Wally Bowen

Using the same skills used for centuries—analysis, synthesis, and evaluation—we must look at digital literacy as another realm within which to apply elements of critical thinking.—

Barbara Jones-Kavalier and Suzanne Flannigan

—sometimes hyphenated when used before another noun

Helping students develop critical-thinking skills and information literacy is one of the core missions of libraries everywhere.—

Nancy Pearl

Examples of critical thinking in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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These include sociological approaches, emphasizing the importance of education and critical thinking. —

Bernard Marr, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024 Gifts for Little Kids Kids ages three to five are developing critical thinking skills, so opt for gifts that may be more complex, like building sets, puzzles, and games. —

Kayla Kitts, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024 Still, throughout Night Is Not Eternal, Wang models an urgent and necessary type of critical thinking. —

Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 19 Nov. 2024 All students are required to take fine arts and humanities courses as part of their undergraduate core curriculum, with the goal of promoting critical thinking and helping students examine problems through multiple lenses. —

Frederick Melo, Twin Cities, 14 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for critical thinking

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of critical thinking was in 1815

See more words from the same year

Cite this Entry

Style

“Critical thinking.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/critical%20thinking. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.

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