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… 🤔
🤔
- Groups
- Subgroups
- Unicode
- U+1F914
- Variant status
- Fully-qualified
- Emoji version
- E1.0
thinking face
Definitions & examples
🤔 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)
More on face with monocle
Both 🤔 and 🧐 convey contemplation and a questioning attitude, often adding a playful ‘hmm, interesting…’ tone rather than outright criticism; they can both signal curiosity or polite doubt in a conversation. The differences lie in nuance and context: 🤔 feels more casual, introspective, or mildly sarcastic—good for pondering, playfully doubting a claim, or inviting friends to think along—whereas 🧐 reads as more analytical, slightly judgmental, or theatrically sophisticated, suggesting closer scrutiny, evaluation, or a faux-intellectual stance; use 🧐 when you want to signal that you’re examining details or making a light, knowing judgment, while 🤔 suits informal wondering or teasing uncertainty. The Target 🧐 often carries a hint of performance (pretending to be fancy) and fits scenarios of analysis, critique, or comic pretension better than the more genuinely puzzled or teasing 🤔.
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)
More on face with raised eyebrow
Both 🤔 thinking face and 🤨 face with raised eyebrow convey questioning and doubt, and both can add a playful or probing tone to messages; they invite further explanation or express curiosity about what was said. The key difference is that 🤔 leans toward thoughtful, open-ended pondering or gentle, sometimes sarcastic curiosity—a “hmm, interesting” that keeps the conversation exploratory—whereas 🤨 signals sharper skepticism or mild annoyance, closer to a single raised eyebrow that says “really?”; use 🤨 when something sounds off, dubious, or slightly irritating, and reserve 🤔 for moments of genuine pondering, light teasing, or when you want to invite speculation rather than accuse. The facial nuance makes 🤨 feel more confrontational and concise, while 🤔 feels softer, more contemplative, and better suited to open-ended questions and playful doubt.
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.
You may also want to check out
Related emojis that share similar meanings or usage.