Ask Difference

Thinking vs. Feeling — What's the Difference?

Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Published on October 3, 2023
Thinking involves logical reasoning and analysis, while Feeling pertains to emotions and subjective experiences.

Difference Between Thinking and Feeling

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Key Differences

Thinking and Feeling are two fundamental aspects of human cognition and experience. Thinking generally refers to the process of using logic, analysis, and reason to form conclusions or make decisions. It's an objective approach where facts, data, and rationale take precedence. Feeling, on the other hand, involves our emotional responses, intuitions, and subjective experiences. It's less about logic and more about personal values and emotions.
Fiza Rafique
Oct 03, 2023
In many contexts, Thinking is associated with the brain's cognitive functions. It's the act of pondering, assessing, and drawing conclusions based on available information. For instance, a mathematician uses thinking to solve a complex equation. Feeling, conversely, is tied to our heart or gut instincts. It represents our internal emotional state, ranging from happiness and love to sadness and anger. When someone says they have a "gut feeling," they're usually referring to an instinctual, emotional response.
Fiza Rafique
Oct 03, 2023

Comparison Chart

Nature

Logical and analytical
Emotional and subjective
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Oct 03, 2023

Associated With

Brain's cognitive functions
Heart or gut instincts
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Role in Decision Making

Evaluates objective criteria
Gauges based on personal values
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Oct 03, 2023
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Expression

"I think this is right."
"I feel this is right."
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Oct 03, 2023

Outcome

Conclusion or decision
Emotional state or intuition
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Definitions

Thinking

The use of reason and logic in problem-solving.
His strategic thinking saved the company from bankruptcy.
Fiza Rafique
Sep 27, 2023

Feeling

An emotional state or reaction.
He had a feeling of joy after hearing the good news.
Fiza Rafique
Sep 27, 2023

Thinking

A person's ideas or opinions.
We align with their way of thinking.
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Sep 27, 2023
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Feeling

Intuitive awareness or instinct.
She had a strong feeling that something was wrong.
Fiza Rafique
Sep 27, 2023

Thinking

The process of forming thoughts.
Early morning is when my thinking is the clearest.
Fiza Rafique
Sep 27, 2023

Feeling

Empathetic understanding or disposition.
He spoke with so much feeling and passion.
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Sep 27, 2023

Thinking

Cognitive activity in the brain.
Constant thinking can lead to mental fatigue.
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Sep 27, 2023

Feeling

Feeling was originally used to describe the physical sensation of touch through either experience or perception. The word is also used to describe other experiences, such as "a feeling of warmth" and of sentience in general.
Fiza Rafique
Apr 14, 2022

Thinking

The process of considering or reasoning about something
The selectors have some thinking to do before the match
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

An emotional state or reaction
A feeling of joy
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Apr 14, 2022

Thinking

Using thought or rational judgement; intelligent
He seemed a thinking man
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

An idea or belief, especially a vague or irrational one
He had the feeling that he was being watched
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Apr 14, 2022

Thinking

The act or practice of one that thinks; thought.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

The capacity to experience the sense of touch
A loss of feeling in the hands
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Thinking

A way of reasoning; judgment
To my thinking, this is not a good idea.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

A sensitivity to or intuitive understanding of
She says I have a feeling for medicine
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Apr 14, 2022

Thinking

Characterized by thought or thoughtfulness; rational
We are thinking animals.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Showing emotion or sensitivity
She was a feeling child
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Apr 14, 2022

Thinking

Thought; gerund of think.
What is your thinking on this subject?
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

The sense of touch
Lost feeling in a toe.
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Apr 14, 2022

Thinking

Present participle of think
I'm thinking about inventing a new perpetual-motion machine.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

A sensation experienced through this sense
Enjoyed the feeling of rain on my face.
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Apr 14, 2022

Thinking

Having the faculty of thought; cogitative; capable of a regular train of ideas; as, man is a thinking being.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

A physical sensation other than one experienced though touch
A feeling of warmth.
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Apr 14, 2022

Thinking

The act of thinking; mode of thinking; imagination; cogitation; judgment.
I heard a bird so sing,Whose music, to my thinking, pleased the king.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

An emotion, such as joy or sorrow
A feeling of loss.
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Apr 14, 2022

Thinking

The process of thinking (especially thinking carefully);
Thinking always made him frown
She paused for thought
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Strong mental agitation or excitement involving the emotions
Eyes that showed deep feeling.
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Apr 14, 2022

Thinking

Endowed with the capacity to reason
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

An emotion of affection; a fondness
Does she have feelings for you?.
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Apr 14, 2022

Thinking

The act of considering or reflecting on something.
Her thinking on the subject has evolved over the years.
Fiza Rafique
Sep 27, 2023

Feeling

The capacity to experience refined emotions; sensitivity; sensibility
A man of feeling.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Feelings Susceptibility to emotional response; sensibilities
The child's feelings are easily hurt.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

An awareness or impression
He had the feeling that he was being followed.
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Feeling

An opinion based strongly on emotion; sentiment
Voters' feelings on tax reform.
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Feeling

A general impression conveyed by a person, place, or thing
This office has the feeling of a fortress.
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Feeling

The emotions thought to be conveyed or intended by a work of art
The painting's feeling of anguish.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Appreciative regard or understanding
Has no feeling for propriety.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Intuitive awareness or aptitude; a feel
Has a feeling for language.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Easily moved emotionally; sympathetic
A feeling heart.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Expressive of sensibility or emotion
A feeling glance.
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Feeling

Emotionally sensitive.
Despite the rough voice, the coach is surprisingly feeling.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Expressive of great sensibility; attended by, or evincing, sensibility.
He made a feeling representation of his wrongs.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Sensation, particularly through the skin.
The wool on my arm produced a strange feeling.
Fiza Rafique
Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Emotion; impression.
The house gave me a feeling of dread.
Fiza Rafique
Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Emotional state or well-being.
You really hurt my feelings when you said that.
Fiza Rafique
Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Emotional attraction or desire.
Many people still have feelings for their first love.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Intuition.
He has no feeling for what he can say to somebody in such a fragile emotional condition.
I've got a funny feeling that this isn't going to work.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

An opinion, an attitude.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Present participle of feel
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Feeling

Possessing great sensibility; easily affected or moved; as, a feeling heart.
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Expressive of great sensibility; attended by, or evincing, sensibility; as, he made a feeling representation of his wrongs.
Fiza Rafique
Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

The sense by which the mind, through certain nerves of the body, perceives external objects, or certain states of the body itself; that one of the five senses which resides in the general nerves of sensation distributed over the body, especially in its surface; the sense of touch; nervous sensibility to external objects.
Why was the sightTo such a tender ball as the eye confined, . . . And not, as feeling, through all parts diffused?
Fiza Rafique
Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

An act or state of perception by the sense above described; an act of apprehending any object whatever; an act or state of apprehending the state of the soul itself; consciousness.
The apprehension of the goodGives but the greater feeling to the worse.
Fiza Rafique
Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

The capacity of the soul for emotional states; a high degree of susceptibility to emotions or states of the sensibility not dependent on the body; as, a man of feeling; a man destitute of feeling.
Fiza Rafique
Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

Any state or condition of emotion; the exercise of the capacity for emotion; any mental state whatever; as, a right or a wrong feeling in the heart; our angry or kindly feelings; a feeling of pride or of humility.
A fellow feeling makes one wondrous kind.
Tenderness for the feelings of others.
Fiza Rafique
Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

That quality of a work of art which embodies the mental emotion of the artist, and is calculated to affect similarly the spectator.
Fiza Rafique
Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

The experiencing of affective and emotional states;
She had a feeling of euphoria
He had terrible feelings of guilt
I disliked him and the feeling was mutual
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

A vague idea in which some confidence is placed;
His impression of her was favorable
What are your feelings about the crisis?
It strengthened my belief in his sincerity
I had a feeling that she was lying
Fiza Rafique
Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

The general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people;
The feel of the city excited him
A clergyman improved the tone of the meeting
It had the smell of treason
Fiza Rafique
Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

A physical sensation that you experience;
He had a queasy feeling
I had a strange feeling in my leg
He lost all feeling in his arm
Fiza Rafique
Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

The sensation produced by pressure receptors in the skin;
She likes the touch of silk on her skin
The surface had a greasy feeling
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

An intuitive understanding of something;
He had a great feeling for music
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Apr 14, 2022

Feeling

A belief not based on fact or evidence.
I have a feeling she will be late today.
Fiza Rafique
Sep 27, 2023

Feeling

Physical sensation not connected to cognition.
There's a feeling of numbness in my leg.
Fiza Rafique
Sep 27, 2023

FAQs

How is feeling different from thinking?

Feeling pertains to emotions, intuitions, and subjective experiences, while thinking is logical and analytical.
Fiza Rafique
Oct 03, 2023

Is thinking always objective?

While thinking aims to be objective through logic and reason, personal biases can sometimes influence it.
Fiza Rafique
Oct 03, 2023

What does thinking generally involve?

Thinking involves using logic, analysis, and reason to form conclusions or make decisions.
Fiza Rafique
Oct 03, 2023

How do thinking and feeling influence behavior?

Thinking guides systematic actions, while feeling influences behavior based on emotional states and values.
Fiza Rafique
Oct 03, 2023

Can thinking and feeling coexist in decision-making?

Yes, many decisions involve both logical reasoning (thinking) and emotional considerations (feeling).
Fiza Rafique
Oct 03, 2023

Are feelings always irrational?

No, feelings can be based on intuition and experiences, which might not be immediately rational but can still be valid.
Fiza Rafique
Oct 03, 2023

Author Spotlight

Written by
Fiza Rafique
Fiza Rafique is a skilled content editor at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Tayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.

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