critical thinking

noun

1

: 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

2

: 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

This suggests that the use of AI in academic settings is not just an issue of convenience, but may be contributing to a decline in critical thinking skills. —Chris Westfall, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

Give us a public television that allows for risk-taking and critical thinking. —Anthony Kaufman, IndieWire, 9 Dec. 2024

Its outreach program in schools tries to build critical thinking and highlight connections between factory farming, climate change, and public health. —Sigal Samuel, Vox, 3 Dec. 2024

Ideal for kids ages five and up, this traffic jam game encourages critical thinking. —Dorian Smith-Garcia, Parents, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1815, in the meaning defined at sense 1