Is 'critical thinking' the same as 'criticising'?

No. While both involve evaluation, 'critical thinking' is a neutral, systematic process of analysis. 'Criticising' often implies finding fault negatively.

Can you teach critical thinking?

Yes. It is a teachable skill involving practice in logic, reasoning, identifying biases, and evaluating evidence.

Is critical thinking only for academics?

No. It is a valuable life skill used in everyday decision-making, professional work, and responsible citizenship.

What's the opposite of critical thinking?

Non-critical acceptance, such as blind faith, dogmatic thinking, or uncritically following authority without question.

Is “critical thinking” formal?

Critical thinking is usually formal, academic, professional in register.

How do you pronounce “critical thinking”?

Critical thinking: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkrɪt.ɪ.kəl ˈθɪŋ.kɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkrɪt̬.ɪ.kəl ˈθɪŋ.kɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

critical thinking: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples

UK/ˌkrɪt.ɪ.kəl ˈθɪŋ.kɪŋ/US/ˌkrɪt̬.ɪ.kəl ˈθɪŋ.kɪŋ/

Formal, Academic, Professional

My Flashcards

Quick answer

What does “critical thinking” mean?

The objective analysis and evaluation of an issue or situation in order to form a reasoned judgment.

Audio

Pronunciation

Definition

Meaning and Definition

The objective analysis and evaluation of an issue or situation in order to form a reasoned judgment.

A disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating information gathered from observation, experience, reflection, or communication.

Dialectal Variation

British vs American Usage

Differences

Concept and term are identical and used with equal frequency and meaning in both varieties.

Connotations

Strongly positive in both cultures, associated with education, intelligence, and professional competence.

Frequency

Very high frequency in academic, business, and pedagogical contexts in both regions.

Grammar

How to Use “critical thinking” in a Sentence

[subject] + apply/use/develop + critical thinking[subject] + engage in + critical thinking[subject] + requires + critical thinking

Vocabulary

Collocations

strong

apply critical thinkingdevelop critical thinkingcritical thinking skillsfoster critical thinkingteach critical thinking

medium

requires critical thinkinglack of critical thinkingencourage critical thinkingpromote critical thinkingengage in critical thinking

weak

good critical thinkingbasic critical thinkinguse critical thinkingshow critical thinkingimprove critical thinking

Examples

Examples of “critical thinking” in a Sentence

verb

British English

She was taught to critically think about historical sources.
The course aims to get students critical-thinking.

American English

You need to critically think through this problem.
We spent the session critical-thinking about the case study.

Usage

Meaning in Context

Business

Valued as a key soft skill for strategic planning, risk assessment, and innovation.

Academic

Central to educational goals, especially in humanities and sciences; a core learning outcome.

Everyday

Used to describe a thoughtful, non-gullible approach to news or personal decisions.

Technical

In philosophy and cognitive science, refers to specific logical and argumentation frameworks.

Vocabulary

Synonyms of “critical thinking”

Strong

higher-order thinkingevaluative judgmentreflective skepticism

Neutral

analytical thinkinglogical reasoningrational analysis

Weak

problem-solvingreasoning analysis

Vocabulary

Antonyms of “critical thinking”

rote learninguncritical acceptanceblind faithdogmatic thinking

Watch out

Common Mistakes When Using “critical thinking”

Using 'critic thinking' (incorrect shortening).
Confusing with 'being critical' in the sense of 'complaining'.
Using as a verb (e.g., 'He critical-thought about it' - incorrect).

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

: No. While both involve evaluation, 'critical thinking' is a neutral, systematic process of analysis. 'Criticising' often implies finding fault negatively.
: Yes. It is a teachable skill involving practice in logic, reasoning, identifying biases, and evaluating evidence.
: No. It is a valuable life skill used in everyday decision-making, professional work, and responsible citizenship.
: Non-critical acceptance, such as blind faith, dogmatic thinking, or uncritically following authority without question.
: The objective analysis and evaluation of an issue or situation in order to form a reasoned judgment.
: Critical thinking is usually formal, academic, professional in register.
: Critical thinking: in British English it is pronounced /ˌkrɪt.ɪ.kəl ˈθɪŋ.kɪŋ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˌkrɪt̬.ɪ.kəl ˈθɪŋ.kɪŋ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.

Phrases

Idioms & Phrases

“think outside the box”
“read between the lines”

Learning

Memory Aids

Mnemonic

CRITICAL THINKING: Can Reasonable Individuals Think In Cool, Analytical, Logical ways? They Inquire, Note, and Get answers.

Conceptual Metaphor

THINKING IS A TOOL (sharpening one's critical thinking) / THINKING IS A JOURNEY (going through a critical thinking process).

Practice

Quiz

Fill in the gap

Good detectives use to evaluate evidence and solve cases.

Multiple Choice

Which of the following is closest in meaning to 'critical thinking'?