idiom

A Penny for Your Thoughts

uh PEN-ee for yor thawts

/ə ˈpɛniː fɔːr jɔːr θɔːts/

Listen

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Syllable breakdown

apennyforyourthoughts

Dictionary meaning

An invitation to share what someone is silently thinking about, often used when a person appears distracted, pensive, or lost in reflection; implies that even modest compensation would be worthwhile for access to the other person's inner thoughts.

Examples

You've been staring out the window for ten minutes — a penny for your thoughts.
She smiled without speaking, so he asked, 'A penny for your thoughts?'

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