Dictionary

thoughtful en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• [ˈθo̞ːtfl̩] ~ [ˈθoːtfl̩] (British, Southern, Standard)
• /ˈθɔtfəl/ (Scotland)
• [ˈθätfl̩] ~ [ˈθɑ̟tfl̩] North-Central US
• [ˈθo̝ːtfl̩] (Australia, New-Zealand)
• /ˈθoːtfəl/ (British, Southern, Standard)
• [ˈθoə̯tfl̩] ~ [ˈθʊə̯tfl̩] New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore
• [ˈfo̞ːtfl̩] ~ [ˈfoːtfl̩] Southern England, th-fronting
• /ˈθɔːtfəl/ (Northern-England)
• [ˈθɔ̝ːtfl̩] ~ [ˈθo̞ːtfl̩] (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈθɑtfl̩] ~ [ˈθɒtfl̩] (Inland-Northern-American)
• [ˈθɔtfl̩] (Scotland)
• /ˈθɔtfəl/ without the cot–caught merger
• [ˈθɑtfl̩] General American, merged
• /ˈfɔːtfəl/ Northern England, th-fronting
• [ˈθɒːtfl̩] ~ [ˈθɔːtfl̩] ~ [ˈθo̞ːtfl̩] (Northern-England)
• [ˈθɑɒ̯tfl̩] ~ [ˈθɒɔ̯tfl̩] (Southern-US)
• /ˈθoːtfəl/ (Australia, New-Zealand)
• /ˈθɔːtfəl/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• [ˈθɒːtfl̩] (Eastern-New-England) without the father-bother merger
• /ˈθɑtfəl/ (cot-caught-merger)
• (General-American) audio cot-caught
• /ˈfoːtfəl/ Southern England, th-fronting
• [ˈfɒːtfl̩] ~ [ˈfɔːtfl̩] ~ [ˈfo̞ːtfl̩] Northern England, th-fronting
• [ˈθɔ̞tfl̩] ~ [ˈθɔtfl̩] General American, non-merged
• [ˈθɒtfl̩] ~ [ˈθɔ̞tfl̩] low-back-merger shift

Etymology

From Middle English thoȝtful, thohtful, equivalent to thought + -ful. Compare Dutch gedachtenvol, Swedish tankfull.

Meanings

1. Demonstrating thought or careful consideration.
   • But Richmond, his grandfather's darling, after one thoughtful glance cast under his lashes at that uncompromising countenance appeared to lose himself in his own reflections. 1959, Georgette Heyer, chapter 1, in The Unknown Ajax:
   • Most thoughtful people eventually solve the puzzle.
   • Now the New Year reviving old Desires, The thoughtful Soul to Solitude retires, Where the White Hand of Moses on the Bough Puts out, and Jesus from the Ground suspires. 1859, Edward Fitzgerald, The Rubáiyát of Omar Khayyám: The Astronomer-Poet of Persia, page 2:
2. Demonstrating kindness or consideration for others.
   • Preparing dinner is a thoughtful gesture for a new mother.

Forms

Antonyms

thoughtless

Deriveds

forethoughtful · unthoughtful · overthoughtful · thoughtfully · thoughtfulness

Hypernyms

kind

Hyponyms

charitable · helpful

Relateds

sensitive · solemn

Synonyms

careful · thoughty · thoughty · careful · attentive · introspective · considerate · considerate · observative · pensive · introspective · thoughty · caring · caring · attentive · ruminant · cogitative · contemplative · contemplative · pensive

Translations (77)

de nachdenklich (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · fi ajatteleva (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · bg замислен (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · la memor (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · tr dalgın (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · gd cùramach (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · tr ince (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · az qayğıkeş (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · fi ajattelevainen (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · de aufmerksam (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · ru забо́тливый (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · ca atent (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · enm sad (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · uk заду́мливий (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · fi ajattelukykyinen (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · mi ngākau mahara (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · nl voorkomend (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · la cōgitābundus (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · ru внима́тельный (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · hi चिंतनशील (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · mk промислен (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · pt bem pensado (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · ro cugetat (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · cmn 體貼 /体贴 (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · sk pozorný (voči druhým) (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · fr attentionné (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · de bedächtig (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · hi चिंतनशील (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · bg внимателен (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · cmn 周到 (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · eo pripensema (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · fi harkittu (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · hu figyelmes (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · hu megfontolt (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · sk vnímavý (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · nl attent (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · nl voorkomend (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · tr düşünceli (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · mk обѕирен (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · it pensieroso (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · it meditabondo (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · ca pensarós (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · ga cásmhar (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · ga cásmhar (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · sk pozorný (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · it pensoso (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · mi whaiwhakaaro (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · sv omtänksam (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · ast atentu (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · fr attentif (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · tr düşünceli (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · fi huomaavainen (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · pl rozważny (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · ar عَمِيق اَلتَّفْكِير (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · gd cùramach (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · ru чу́ткий (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · it premuroso (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · pt atencioso (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · ang besċēawod (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · hu előzékeny (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · de gedankenvoll (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · tr anlayışlı (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · pl troskliwy (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · ga cuimhneach (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · uk ува́жний (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · ro grijuliu (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · hi विचारशील (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · pt meticuloso (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · sv eftertänksam (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · fr réfléchi (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · mk внимателен (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · es detallista (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · tr nazik (demonstrating kindness or consideration) · it cogitabondo (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · ru вду́мчивый (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · grc σκεπτικός (demonstrating thought or careful consideration) · es detallista (demonstrating kindness or consideration)