Used when you’re thinking, questioning, or playfully doubting something. It adds a “hmm, interesting…” or “are you sure?” tone, often with mild sarcasm or curiosity.
Your friend suddenly says she might text their ex again.
Bold move… 🤔
thinking face
🤔thinking face
Definitions & examples
- Groups
- Subgroups
- Unicode
- U+1F914
- Variant status
- Fully-qualified
- Emoji version
- E1.0
🤔 can look snarky if the topic is serious. It works great for casual curiosity or teasing friends, but in work chats it may come off as questioning someone’s judgment—use words like “Interesting!” instead if you just want to sound thoughtful.
Compare picks
See what they share and how they differ to choose the right one.
Differences between 🤔 (thinking face) and 🧐 (face with monocle)
Both show raised eyebrows and a pondering gaze. 🤔 signals questioning, playful doubt, and light sarcasm. 🧐 reads as more analytical and slightly performative, like a mock inspection. The tone of 🧐 is more deliberate and refined, suggesting judgement rather than casual curiosity. It implies scrutiny and a sharper eyebrow, adding a theatrical layer to the inquiry. The gaze feels narrower and more evaluative, and the monocle creates a persona of careful examination rather than simple wondering.
Usage
You might use 🤔 when you’re casually questioning something a friend said or playfully expressing doubt. Use 🧐 when you want to signal that you’re analyzing, judging, or adopting a slightly fancy, scrutinizing tone.
Differences between 🤔 (thinking face) and 🤨 (face with raised eyebrow)
Both feature a furrowed brow and handless contemplative look. 🤔 conveys pondering and playful doubt, a mild huh or curious skepticism. 🤨 reads sharper and narrower, conveying skepticism with a hint of annoyance. The tone is more judgmental and less bemused than 🤔. 🤨 implies a raised eyebrow, a short incredulous pause, and a clipped disbelief that questions sincerity. The nuance shifts from open curiosity to pointed skepticism, making the expression feel more confrontational and less whimsical than the softer, pondering face.
Usage
Use 🤔 when you’re genuinely pondering, playfully doubting, or inviting speculation; it softens critique and invites discussion. Use 🤨 when you’re skeptical, mildly annoyed, or pointing out something that seems off; it communicates sharper doubt and prompts clarification.
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Related emojis that share similar meanings or usage.
🧐
face with monocle
- Group
- Smileys & Emotion
- Subgroup
- face-glasses
🤥
lying face
- Group
- Smileys & Emotion
- Subgroup
- face-neutral-skeptical
🤭
face with hand over mouth
- Group
- Smileys & Emotion
- Subgroup
- face-hand
🫡
saluting face
- Group
- Smileys & Emotion
- Subgroup
- face-hand