making me think

USAGE SUMMARY

"making me think" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to indicate the act of pondering a thought or idea. For example, "Her insightful comments were making me think about the situation from a different perspective."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Way to trick me, Porn World, by making me think you would do what I was thinking you would and then doing it.

Vice

"I'm not sure people are thinking about it that way, but it's making me think that the whole future of Evernote product design has to be about that," he says.

The Guardian - Tech

He died in January, aged 84, and although, understandably, I have rarely stopped thinking about him since, Thatcher's death has been making me think about him even more acutely, and in a different way.

The Guardian - Books

Keeps making me think of Babylon Zoo.

The Guardian - Sport

I thank commenters for making me think harder about this.

The New York Times

"No," he said, "you're just making me think".

The New York Times

Around that time, I was seeing movies that were making me think in terms of images".

The New Yorker

This game is making me think that I should have picked Michigan to go further than the final four.

The New York Times

I think this is making me think more about these issues.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

SFJ: Pat Ford is making me think about how Idol handles gayness.

The New Yorker

For a while they rocketed up, making me think I was invulnerable.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "making me think" to express a direct, personal experience of being prompted to think about something. It's suitable for conveying a cause-and-effect relationship between an external stimulus and your internal thought process.

Common error

Avoid using "making me think" when a passive construction is more appropriate. For instance, instead of "The situation was making me think", consider "I was made to think by the situation", which might be clearer and more grammatically precise in certain contexts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "making me think" functions as a gerund phrase that describes a cause-and-effect relationship, where something external is prompting internal cognitive processes. Ludwig examples confirm its role in illustrating personal reflection sparked by external stimuli.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

98%

Science

1%

Formal & Business

1%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "making me think" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to convey that something has prompted personal reflection or consideration. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase effectively illustrates a cause-and-effect relationship between external stimuli and internal thought processes. It is most frequently found in News & Media and its neutral register lends itself well to various semi-formal and informal contexts. While you can employ alternatives to add nuance, "making me think" remains a direct and clear way to express being prompted to think.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

making me consider

Focuses on bringing something into consideration.

causing me to reflect

Emphasizes the reflective aspect of the thinking process, focusing on introspection.

prompting my consideration

Highlights the act of bringing something to one's attention for deliberate thought.

inspiring me to ponder

Focuses on the inspirational aspect, suggesting a deeper, more thoughtful consideration.

leading me to believe

Indicates a shift in belief or opinion as a result of the prompting.

giving me pause

Suggests a moment of hesitation or reconsideration due to something thought-provoking.

sparking my thoughts

Emphasizes the sudden initiation of thought processes.

pushing me to contemplate

Suggests an active and deliberate engagement with the act of thinking.

stirring my imagination

Implies that something is prompting creative or imaginative thought.

arousing my curiosity

Highlights the generation of curiosity which leads to thinking and investigation.

FAQs

How can I use "making me think" in a sentence?

You can use "making me think" to express that something is causing you to reflect or consider something. For example, "The movie was "making me think" about my own life choices".

What are some alternatives to "making me think"?

Some alternatives include "causing me to reflect", "prompting my consideration", or "inspiring me to ponder". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to say "making me to think"?

No, "making me to think" is grammatically incorrect. The correct phrasing is ""making me think"", without the "to".

What's the difference between "making me think" and "makes me think"?

"Making me think" often refers to a continuous or ongoing process of reflection, while "makes me think" describes a general or habitual effect. For example, "The book is "making me think" about society", versus "That author always makes me think about society".