think tank

noun

Synonyms of think tanknext
: an institute, corporation, or group organized to study a particular subject (such as a policy issue or a scientific problem) and provide information, ideas, and advice
an information technology think tank
… was responsible for the armies of new political-action committees, lobbyists and rightward think tanks that poured into Washington to counter the consumer and environmental movements he helped to inspire.—Jonathan Rowe

Examples of think tank in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Allegheny Institute, a conservative think tank, has been warning that this day would come for more than a decade. — Andy Sheehan, CBS News, 1 July 2026 Hundreds of proliferating nonprofits—focused on election integrity and democratic governance, and largely sharing the same mission and drawing from the same donors—are crowding an already bustling ecosystem of existing nonprofits, coalitions, and think tanks. — Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, Time, 28 June 2026 That's according to the Migration Policy Institute, an independent nonpartisan and nonprofit think tank. — Dana Taylor, USA Today, 26 June 2026 The government originally estimated about 500,000 foreigners living in Spain without authorization could benefit, but think tanks and the Spanish police placed the figure closer to a million people. — Suman Naishadham, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for think tank

Word History

First Known Use

1958, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of think tank was in 1958

Rhymes for think tank

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Browse Nearby Words

think-so
think tank
think the world of
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Cite this Entry

“Think tank.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/think%20tank. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

think tank

noun
: an organization formed to think up new solutions especially for social and scientific problems

More from Merriam-Webster on think tank

Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for think tank

Nglish: Translation of think tank for Spanish Speakers

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