German word

ausdenken

Pronunciation

IPA/ˈaʊ̯sˌdɛŋkən/

Meaning

  • verbcome up with

Example

Er denkt sich eine Lösung aus.

He is coming up with a solution.

Illustration for ausdenken (come up with)

More examples

Er musste spontan eine passende Antwort ausdenken.

He had to spontaneously come up with a suitable answer.

Core concept

A mind works through separate thoughts until they form a new idea, explanation, or solution.

Common phrases

  • sich einen Plan ausdenken

    come up with a plan

  • sich eine Taktik ausdenken

    come up with a tactic

  • sich etwas Neues ausdenken

    come up with something new

Similar words

sich etwas einfallen lassen: Come up with a useful idea or practical method.
überlegen: Think through a problem or choices carefully to reach a decision.
erfinden: Make up a new object, story, or other thing that did not exist before.
ausarbeiten: Organize and expand an existing idea or material into a workable plan.

Definition in German

Etwas Neues im Geist entwickeln, zum Beispiel eine Idee, Erklärung oder Lösung.

Word origin

The separable verb combines aus, meaning 'out', with denken, 'think', and conveys thinking an idea out.

Usage tips

  • The common pattern is sich etwas ausdenken, with the invented idea as the accusative object.

Other meanings

  • deviseverb

Opposites

Related words

  • Ausdenkerdevisernoun
  • Ausdenkendevisingnoun

Word lists with this word