Meaning & use
inquisitive thinking
Last updated
Meanings
noununcountable
A way of thinking that involves asking questions and wanting to learn or understand more.
Grammar: Uncountable, so it takes a singular verb: 'Inquisitive thinking helps...' Not 'inquisitive thinkings'.
Patterns
- encourage inquisitive thinking
- develop inquisitive thinking
- a kind of inquisitive thinking
The teacher encouraged inquisitive thinking by asking students to challenge every assumption.
Her inquisitive thinking led her to question the official explanation and find a better one.
In science, inquisitive thinking is as important as memorizing facts.
noununcountable
The mental activity of being curious and eager to find out about things.
Grammar: Often used after verbs like 'show' or 'demonstrate': 'He showed inquisitive thinking from an early age.'
Patterns
- show inquisitive thinking
- a sign of inquisitive thinking
- reward inquisitive thinking
The child's constant questions were a clear sign of inquisitive thinking.
Companies say they want employees with inquisitive thinking, but they often punish too many questions.
Her essay was praised for its original and inquisitive thinking.
Common combinations
- encourage inquisitive thinking
- Good schools encourage inquisitive thinking rather than passive memorization.
- develop inquisitive thinking
- Reading widely helps you develop inquisitive thinking.
- a spirit of inquisitive thinking
- The lab has a spirit of inquisitive thinking that attracts young researchers.
- inquisitive thinking skills
- The workshop focuses on building inquisitive thinking skills in teenagers.
Synonyms and how they differ
- curiosity
- Curiosity is the feeling of wanting to know; inquisitive thinking is the active mental process of asking and exploring.
- critical thinking
- Critical thinking emphasizes judging and evaluating; inquisitive thinking emphasizes asking and exploring.
- inquiry
- Inquiry is the formal process of investigating; inquisitive thinking is the general habit or style of thought.
Opposites
Word family
- inquisitive adjective
- Curious; wanting to learn or know more.
- inquisitively adverb
- In a curious, questioning manner.
- inquisitiveness noun
- The quality of being curious and asking questions.
Commonly confused: inquisitive thinking or inquisitorial?
inquisitive thinking vs inquisitorial
Inquisitorial means relating to official questioning, often harsh; it is not the same as curious or eager to learn.
Practice
Which sentence uses 'inquisitive thinking' correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Inquisitive thinking' is uncountable, so it cannot be plural ('thinkings') or take 'are'. It works as a noun phrase after a verb like 'promoted'. Option B is the only grammatical and natural sentence.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “inquisitive thinking”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.