Dictionary

think tank en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈθɪŋk ˌtæŋk/ (Australia, Canada, General-American, Received-Pronunciation)
• /ˈθɪŋk ˌtaŋk/ (Received-Pronunciation, Scotland)
• /ˈθəŋk ˌtɛŋk/ (New-Zealand)
• (Australia) audio
• /ˈt̪ɪŋk ˌʈaŋk/ (India)
• thĭngk′ tăngk′

Etymology

From the use of think tank or think box in the 19th century to refer to the human brain.

Meanings

1. (idiomatic) A group of people who collectively perform research and develop reports and recommendations on topics relating to strategic planning or public policy, and which is usually funded by corporate, government, or special interests.
   • “Who could believe that the head of a think tank doesn’t think?” said Charles Jacobs, the president of the Jewish Leadership Project, which resigned from a Heritage Foundation task force meant to fight antisemitism after Mr. [Kevin D.] Roberts’s video was released. 2025 November 13, David A. Fahrenthold, Ken Bensinger, quoting Charles Jacobs, “Under Fire for Tucker Carlson Remarks, Think Tank Chief Pleads Ignorance”, in The New York Times, New York, N.Y.: The New York Times Company, →ISSN, →OCLC:
   • Why don't we take a leaf out of the government's book and have a think tank? 1974, The Think Tank (Are You Being Served?), season 2, episode 3, spoken by "Captain" Stephen Peacock (Frank Thornton):
   • As 1965 drew to a close a secret research project for the United States Department of Defense was concluded by a ‘think-tank’ of seven psychologists at the American Institute for Research, in the Maryland woods outside Washington, DC. 1978, Peter Watson, War on the Mind, New York: Basic Books, →ISBN, page 21:
2. (obsolete) The brain.
   • Slade’s eyes, china blue and menacing, held hers for an instant, then he turned again to her father and completed his sentence, “or else I think I know a stunt that will speed up your work . . . something that will make your think-tank bubble a bit faster. And if it don’t, then you’ll learn something about Hoppy Slade that you didn’t know before. Go to bed and sleep on that!” 1937, Madge Macbeth, Wings in the West, London: J. Hamilton, page 261:

Forms

Deriveds

think-tanker · thinktanker · think tanker

Relateds

talk shop · brain trust · talking shop · brains trust

Synonyms

think factory

Translations (71)

cmn 智囊集團 /智囊集团 (group producing research and recommendations) · ka კვლევითი ინსტიტუტი (group producing research and recommendations) · ja 頭脳集団 (group producing research and recommendations) · it gruppo di riflessione (group producing research and recommendations) · id wadah pemikir (group producing research and recommendations) · es gabinete reflexivo (group producing research and recommendations) · kmr ramanxane (group producing research and recommendations) · ur دائرہ دانش (group producing research and recommendations) · pt think tank (group producing research and recommendations) · fr laboratoire d’idées (group producing research and recommendations) · nl denktank (group producing research and recommendations) · ka ანალიტიკური ინსტიტუტი (group producing research and recommendations) · ur سوچ مرکز (group producing research and recommendations) · is hugveita (group producing research and recommendations) · ar خَلِيَّة تَفْكِير (group producing research and recommendations) · cmn 智庫 /智库 (group producing research and recommendations) · eo pensfabriko (group producing research and recommendations) · it centro di ricerca (group producing research and recommendations) · ru фа́брика иде́й (group producing research and recommendations) · hu agytröszt (group producing research and recommendations) · nb tenketank (group producing research and recommendations) · nb tankesmie (group producing research and recommendations) · cmn 智囊機構 /智囊机构 (group producing research and recommendations) · cmn 顧問班子 /顾问班子 (group producing research and recommendations) · fr centre de réflexion (group producing research and recommendations) · it laboratorio d'idee (group producing research and recommendations) · ka კვლევითი ცენტრი (group producing research and recommendations) · el δεξαμενή σκέψης (group producing research and recommendations) · ur تحقیقی ادارہ (group producing research and recommendations) · za cigu (group producing research and recommendations) · cmn 腦庫 /脑库 (group producing research and recommendations) · da tænketank (group producing research and recommendations) · ms kumpulan pemikir (group producing research and recommendations) · fa اتاقِ فکر (group producing research and recommendations) · es tanque de pensamiento (group producing research and recommendations) · fa اندیشکده (group producing research and recommendations) · de Denkfabrik (group producing research and recommendations) · cy melin drafod (group producing research and recommendations) · it gabinetto strategico (group producing research and recommendations) · uk аналіти́чний це́нтр (group producing research and recommendations) · ko 두뇌 집단 (group producing research and recommendations) · ga meitheal mhachnaimh (group producing research and recommendations) · sv tankesmedja (group producing research and recommendations) · tr think-tank (group producing research and recommendations) · ka ანალიტიკური ცენტრი (group producing research and recommendations) · pt usina de ideias (group producing research and recommendations) · ur فکر گاہ (group producing research and recommendations) · es centro de reflexión (group producing research and recommendations) · tr beyin takımı (group producing research and recommendations) · ja シンクタンク (group producing research and recommendations) · de Thinktank (group producing research and recommendations) · it centro studi (group producing research and recommendations) · it istituto d'investigazione (group producing research and recommendations) · ru аналити́ческий центр (group producing research and recommendations) · es vivero de ideas (group producing research and recommendations) · es comité pensativo (group producing research and recommendations) · id lembaga pemikir (group producing research and recommendations) · fi ajatuspaja (group producing research and recommendations) · cmn 智囊團 /智囊团 (group producing research and recommendations) · cmn 思想庫 /思想库 (group producing research and recommendations) · ko 싱크탱크 (group producing research and recommendations) · ca fàbrica d'idees (group producing research and recommendations) · pl think tank (group producing research and recommendations) · fr groupe de réflexion (group producing research and recommendations) · ca laboratori d'idees (group producing research and recommendations) · es laboratorio ideal (group producing research and recommendations) · ru мозгово́й центр (group producing research and recommendations) · pt órgão de reflexão (group producing research and recommendations) · fi ajatushautomo (group producing research and recommendations) · cmn 智囊班子 (group producing research and recommendations) · ru мозгово́й трест (group producing research and recommendations)

wikidata: Q155271