metacognition

noun

meta·​cog·​ni·​tion ˌme-tə-käg-ˈni-shən How to pronounce metacognition (audio)
: awareness or analysis of one's own learning or thinking processes
Research on metacognition … has demonstrated the value of monitoring one's own cognitive processes.—Colette A. Daiute

Examples of metacognition in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
To thrive in this new era, leaders need large amounts of something called metacognition, or put simply, thinking about thinking. — David Rock, Fortune, 6 May 2026 The other missing component is metacognition — the awareness of awareness — and a sense of agency. — Rachel Barr, Big Think, 20 Aug. 2025 But lucid dreaming involves metacognition, which is a type of cognitive control in which someone becomes aware of their own thoughts. — Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 28 Oct. 2025 Their self-awareness is not a workshop outcome but a daily discipline based on mindfulness and metacognition. — Dr. Adil Dalal, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for metacognition

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of metacognition was in 1972

Rhymes for metacognition

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Browse Nearby Words

metacneme
metacognition
metacoracoid
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Cite this Entry

“Metacognition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metacognition. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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