Thoughtful — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

Thoughtful (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

1. given to or made with heedful anticipation of the needs and happiness of others

   "a thoughtful offer to watch the neighbors' children on moving day"

   "a thoughtful manager who understands that people's families should be more important than their jobs"

   similar: attentive, considerate, kind, solicitous
   related: brotherly, good, good-hearted, helpful, hospitable, kindhearted, kindly, neighborly, nice, caring, compassionate, sympathetic, tender, chivalrous, courteous, courtly, gallant, gracious, polite, diplomatic, tactful, deferential, dutiful, obliging, regardful, respectful, altruistic, beneficent, benevolent, benignant, humane, selfless, unselfish, charitable, generous, magnanimous
   opposite: heedless, inconsiderate, thoughtless, unthinking
   near: inattentive, uncaring, unheeding, inhospitable, unkind, unkindly, ill-bred, ill-mannered, impolite, rude, uncivil, unmannerly, unhelpful, malevolent, malicious, mean, spiteful

2. decided on as a result of careful thought

   "a thoughtful argument for military action"

   similar: advised, calculated, considered, deliberate, knowing, measured, reasoned, studied, thought-out, weighed
   related: aforethought, premeditated, prepense, educated, informed, intentional, purposeful, designed, intended, planned, projected, careful, meticulous, foresighted, forethoughtful, provident, prudent
   opposite: casual, unadvised, uncalculated, unconsidered, unstudied
   near: half-cocked, ill-advised, chance, haphazard, hit-or-miss, random, aimless, desultory, purposeless, hasty, hurried, rushed, abrupt, impetuous, sudden, automatic, extemporaneous, impromptu, instinctive, spontaneous

3. given to or marked by long, quiet thinking

   "was a quiet and thoughtful child who rarely spoke but when he did, he almost always had something worthwhile to say"

   similar: broody, cogitative, contemplative, meditative, melancholy, musing, pensive, reflective, ruminant, ruminative
   related: introspective, retrospective, self-reflective, earnest, grave, sedate, serious, serious-minded, severe, sober, solemn, somber, weighty, philosophical, analytic, logical, rational, deliberate, purposeful, absentminded, abstracted, preoccupied
   opposite: unreflective
   near: featherbrained, flighty, flippant, frivolous, goofy, harebrained, light-headed, scatterbrained, brainless, mindless, silly, thoughtless, unthinking