thing
gb/θˈɪŋ/ us/θˈɪŋ/
A1
English
~ 200
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A1
entity
1
an object or entity
An object, fact, or idea when we do not know or do not want to say its name.
Usage pattern:
[something] is a thing
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes overuse 'thing' instead of using a more specific word, which can make speech unclear.
Synonyms
object (Refers to a physical item; more specific than 'thing'.)
|
item (Often used for individual objects in a group; more formal than 'thing'.)
Antonyms
nothing (Indicates the absence of any object or entity.)
Collocations
the right thing
|the first thing
|good thing
|the only thing
Themes
daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Can you pass me that thing on the table?
- The best thing about this city is the food.
- There’s one thing I need to tell you.
- It’s a strange thing to say.
- The only thing we can do now is wait.
Learner examples
- This is my favorite thing.
- I need one more thing from the shop.
- That thing is very old.
- The big thing is on the floor.
Noun
informal
B1
entity
2
a personal interest or specialty
Something a person likes a lot or does often.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s thing is [activity]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse this with the general meaning of 'thing' and use it without the personal interest context.
Synonyms
specialty (More formal; suggests an area of expertise.)
|
passion (Stronger emotional connection than 'thing'.)
Antonyms
disinterest (Lack of interest in an activity or subject.)
Collocations
not my thing
|do your own thing
|make a thing of
Themes
daily life
|hobbies
|daily_life
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Cooking is really her thing.
- I’m not into hiking; it’s just not my thing.
- He made photography his thing after retiring.
- Dancing isn’t my thing, but I’ll try.
Learner examples
- Soccer is my thing.
- Music is his thing.
- Drawing is not my thing.
- Traveling is her thing.
Noun
A2
entity
3
a situation or matter
A situation, event, or problem that people talk about or deal with.
Usage pattern:
the [adjective] thing is [clause]
Synonyms
issue (More formal; often refers to problems or topics for discussion.)
|
matter (Formal; refers to a subject under consideration.)
Antonyms
non-issue (Something that does not need to be considered or worried about.)
Collocations
the funny thing is
|the main thing is
|the important thing is
Themes
daily life
|news
|communication
|business
Examples
- The strange thing is, no one saw him leave.
- The main thing is to stay calm.
- One thing led to another and we ended up in Paris.
- The funny thing about it was how quickly it ended.
Learner examples
- The good thing is we can go home early.
- The bad thing is it will rain tomorrow.
- The important thing is to be happy.
- The strange thing is she didn’t call.
Noun
informal
B1
entity
4
a popular trend or fad
Something new that many people like for a short time.
Usage pattern:
[something] is a thing now
Synonyms
trend (More formal; often used in marketing and fashion contexts.)
|
fad (Implies short-lived popularity.)
Antonyms
tradition (A long-established custom or practice.)
Collocations
become a thing
|make something a thing
Themes
culture
|fashion
|arts_entertainment
|daily_life
Examples
- Is brunch still a thing?
- Yoga with goats became a thing last summer.
- Apparently, wearing socks with sandals is a thing now.
Learner examples
- That game is a big thing now.
- Drinking tea with milk is a new thing here.
- Selfie sticks were a big thing last year.
Grammar
Dictionary form
thing
IPA
GB/θˈɪŋ/
US/θˈɪŋ/
Syllables & stress
thing (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (thing)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: thing
- Plural: thing, things
Word family
Forms
things
noun
Core family
Negative and opposite forms
nothing
pronoun A1
Related words
thingy
noun B2
Advanced or less common
thingamajig
noun B2
Expressions
do your own thing
1/dˈu jˈʊɹ ˈoʊn θˈɪŋ/
idiom
informal
act independently in own style
To do what you want in your own way.
Examples
- She always does her own thing, no matter what others say.
- I prefer to do my own thing instead of following trends.
make a big thing of (something)
1/mˈeɪk ə bˈɪɡ θˈɪŋ əv sˈʌmθɪŋ/
idiom
informal
exaggerate the importance of something
To treat something as more important than it really is.
Examples
- Don’t make a big thing of it—it was just a small mistake.
- They made a big thing of his late arrival.
one thing led to another
1/wˈʌn θˈɪŋ lˈɛd tə ənˈʌðɚ/
idiom
events happened in sequence to outcome
Used to explain that events happened one after another and caused something without giving details.
Examples
- We met at a party, and one thing led to another—we’re now married.
- I started helping her move, and one thing led to another and I ended up painting her house.
the next big thing
1/ðə nˈɛkst bˈɪɡ θˈɪŋ/
fixed phrase
expected future popular success
Something that people think will become very popular soon.
Examples
- This new app could be the next big thing in social media.
- Everyone’s talking about him as the next big thing in music.
the real thing
1/ðə ɹˈil θˈɪŋ/
fixed phrase
genuine example of something
The true or best example of something, not fake.
Examples
- This perfume isn’t cheap—it’s the real thing.
- After years of practice, she’s now the real thing in the art world.