What Does the 🤔 (Thinking) Emoji Mean? Show You’re Thoughtful or Sarcastic via Texting & Social Media

Co-authored by Dan Hickey

Last Updated: October 25, 2022 References

Few emojis are as versatile as the 🤔 (thinking) emoji. Just one thoughtful face with a pondering finger on its chin can convey deep contemplation, confusion, skepticism, or lighthearted sarcasm. No wonder it’s one of the most popular emojis out there! If you’re wondering how to interpret it, we’ve got you covered. In this article, we’ll walk you through all of this emoji’s meanings over text and on social media and show you how to spice up your own messages with it. If you’re ready to get thinking, keep reading! 🤔📖

Things You Should Know

Use the 🤔 (thinking) emoji to show you’re pondering something or making a decision.
Reply or comment with the 🤔 (thinking) emoji to show you’re skeptical or doubtful about a claim someone made.
Send the thinking emoji genuinely, playfully, or flirtatiously. It all depends on the context of the conversation and your relationship with the other person.

Section 1 of 4:

🤔 (Thinking) Emoji Meanings

1
The 🤔 (thinking) emoji means you’re pondering something. When you see 🤔 (thinking), the sender could be deep in thought or trying to make a decision between a few options. They might be thinking about what to say, what to do, or how to react to something. This is common in text conversations or on platforms like Twitter or Facebook where you can pose a question to lots of people.^{[1]
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- Person 1: “What should we get for dinner tonight?”
  Person 2: “I’m not sure 🤔”
- Person 1: “What did you think of the new Marvel movie?”
  Person 2: “I haven’t made up my mind yet 🤔”
- On Twitter: “Should I get bangs? 🤔”
2
The 🤔 (thinking) emoji might also mean you’re confused or unsure. If someone’s hit with a surprise question or has no idea what someone else is talking about, they may use the 🤔 (thinking) emoji to express their puzzlement. In this case, you might see the thinking emoji paired with the 🤷🏽 (shrugging) emoji. This is more conversational and likely to show up over text or DMs.
- Person 1: “What’s the algebra homework?”
  Person 2: “We have homework? 🤔”
- Person 1: “What’s the Netflix password?”
  Person 2: “🤔🤷🏽”
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3
The 🤔 (thinking) emoji means you’re skeptical or concerned. This emoji pops up a lot when someone wants to say “hmm…” They could be genuinely casting doubt on the validity of something or using the emoji in a flirty, joking way. These feelings can be conveyed by just the lone emoji or with a quick explanation, especially in a social media comment on platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok. ^{[2]
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- Person 1: “We’re gonna drive my dad’s golf cart to the concert!”
  Person 2: “I’m not sure that’s the best idea…🤔”
- Person 1: “Should I get you a yacht or a beach house for Valentine’s Day? 🤔😉”
  Person 2: “Yacht please!”
- Commenting on Instagram: “But why is your background so messy? 🤔”
4
Online, the 🤔 (thinking) emoji shows passive-aggressive doubt. Imagine a sassy character in a sitcom asking “Did you really just say that?” after their friend says something unintelligent. The emoji pops up when someone posts something nonsensical, a half-truth or lie, or something plain wrong. Most times, you’ll see the emoji by itself in a comment or a quote tweet.^{[3]
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- Person 1’s post: “I read that the government is building an army of cows!”
  Person 2’s comment: “🤔”
- Person 1’s post: “Here’s a photo of my first ever peach cobbler. It looks delicious!”
  Person 2’s comment: “Does it though? 🤔”

Section 2 of 4:

How to Use the 🤔 (Thinking) Emoji

1
Use the 🤔 (thinking) emoji to show you’re mulling something over. When someone asks you a question and you don’t have an answer yet, send the thinking emoji. It buys you a little time to figure things out without having to ignore their message. Send the emoji by itself or add a short clarification.
- Person 1: “What shoes are you wearing tonight?”
  Person 2: “I’m torn between my brown leather boots or sneakers 🤔”
- Person 1: “What should I bring to the potluck?”
  Person 2: “🤔”
2
Send the 🤔 (thinking) emoji when you’re skeptical or confused. When you hear something you’re not sure is true or you’re just not sure what’s going on, use 🤔 (thinking) to show your bewilderment. Pair it with a comment or question to give the other person an idea of what you’re thinking.^{[4]
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- Person 1: “Hey! Jason said you’d cover my shift tomorrow.”
  Person 2: “🤔 I did not say that…”
- Person 1: “I have no clue what Michelle wants me to do for this Q4 report 🤔”
  Person 2: “I’ll take a look and get back to you.”
3
Convey a sarcastic “Really?” with the 🤔 (thinking) emoji. Whether you’re just joking or genuinely agitated, 🤔 (thinking) says a lot so you don’t have to. Leave the thinking emoji in a social media comment or send it over text to show you’re not amused by the nonsense you just read.
- Person 1: “I have never told a lie in my life!”
  Person 2: “🤔”
- Person 1: “I’m so proud to announce I’m launching my own line of gourmet parakeet food!”
  Person 2: “🤔 okay??”
4
Pair a 🤔 (thinking) emoji with a 💭 (thought balloon) or 💡 (lightbulb). If you’ve been pondering something for a while or just had a sudden stroke of genius, use these emoji combos to show you’ve got the right answer. Type out your new, brilliant idea for the world to read.
- “I was thinking for a long time and then I realized 🤔💭 I need to quit my job and go backpacking!”
- “Last night it hit me! 🤔💡 We should start a rival parakeet food business!”
5
Stick a 🤔 (thinking) emoji with other emojis on your mind. Place the thinking emoji between 2 other objects you can’t decide between, or include it in a string of themed emojis to show you’re thinking about gardening, dancing, or whatever you like. As of September 2021, there are 3,633 emojis in the Unicode Standard—the possibilities are endless!^{[5]
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- 🍺🤔🍷? = Should I have a beer or wine tonight?
- 🤔🍞🥖🍰 = I’m thinking about baking something.
- 🤔💍👩💓 = Should I propose?
- 🤔🎨👨‍🎨🧑‍🎓 = I wonder if I should go to art school…
- 🏠🤔 = Is it time to buy a house?

Section 3 of 4:

How to Respond to the 🤔 (Thinking) Emoji

1
Help someone make a choice if they send you the 🤔 (thinking) emoji. If a friend sends the thinking emoji, offer them some advice or tell them your opinion about their options. That’s what friends are for!
- Person 1: Should I get strawberry or mango in my smoothie? 🤔”
  Person 2: “Strawberry for sure.”
- Person 1: “I just can’t tell if Brad likes me 🤔”
  Person 2: “Have you thought about just asking him?”
2
Clarify what you meant if you get a 🤔 (thinking) emoji reply. If your last message was met with the thinking emoji and the sender is confused or concerned, reply and try to state your thought more clearly. If they sent you a flirtatious, joking, or sarcastic thinking emoji, feel free to be lighthearted in your response.
- Person 1: “We’re gonna need 6 lasagnas tonight.”
  Person 2: “🤔”
  Person 1: “It’s my brother’s surprise birthday party!”
- Person 1: “Today’s a special day 😉”
  Person 2: “Oh yeah? 🤔”
  Person 1: “Yeah…the McRib is back!”

Section 4 of 4:

What’s the 🤔 (thinking) emoji meme?

The 🤔 (thinking) emoji meme is an image of the emoji with funny text. The text lays above and below the emoji and points out a silly or hypocritical observation. It could also ask a rhetorical (and usually unimportant or funny) question. The content of the text is up to whoever makes it. If you want to craft an original meme, check out this free meme generator on imgflip.com! An example might be:
- Top Line: When you roommate says they’re on a diet
- Bottom Line: But you find an empty pizza box in the kitchen.