spring to mind

verb

To appear suddenly in one's thoughts, often as an example of something.

Similar
come to mindleap to mind
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Meanings

verbspring to mind (third-person singular simple present springs to mind, present participle springing to mind, simple past sprang to mind, past participle sprung to mind)

present singular third person springs to mind · participle present springing to mind · past sprang to mind · participle past sprung to mind

  1. idiomaticTo appear suddenly in one's thoughts, often as an example of something.

    Two good reasons spring to mind at once.

    1987, R.C.D. Jasper, Geoffrey J. Cuming, Prayer of the Eucharist: Early and Reformed, page 3

    Synonyms: come to mind, leap to mind

Synonyms & antonyms

verbTo appear suddenly in one's thoughts, often as an example of something.

Similar
come to mindleap to mind

More synonyms by meaning

verbbe remembered

Similar
come to mind
Broader
appear
Also see
come to mindleap to mind

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Translations

Chinese Mandarin 突然想起
  • 突然想起 (tūrán xiǎngqǐ)appear in one's thoughts
Dutch te binnen schieten
  • te binnen schietenappear in one's thoughts
Finnish tulla mieleen, muistua mieleen
  • tulla mieleenappear in one's thoughts
  • muistua mieleenappear in one's thoughts
  • juolahtaa mieleenappear in one's thoughts
French venir à l'esprit, passer par la tête
  • venir à l'espritappear in one's thoughts
  • passer par la têteappear in one's thoughts
German in den Sinn kommen
  • in den Sinn kommenappear in one's thoughts
Hungarian eszébe jut
  • eszébe jutappear in one's thoughts
Latin subeo
  • subeoappear in one's thoughts
Māori kowhana, totoko
  • kowhanaappear in one's thoughts
  • totokoappear in one's thoughts
  • wherikoappear in one's thoughts
Polish przychodzić do głowy, przyjść do głowy
  • przychodzić do głowyappear in one's thoughts
  • przyjść do głowyappear in one's thoughts
Russian приходи́ть на ум, прийти́ на ум
  • приходи́ть на ум (prixodítʹ na um)appear in one's thoughts
  • прийти́ на ум (prijtí na um)appear in one's thoughts
  • приходи́ть в го́лову (prixodítʹ v gólovu)appear in one's thoughts
  • прийти́ в го́лову (prijtí v gólovu)appear in one's thoughts
Scottish Gaelic buail an ceann
  • buail an ceannappear in one's thoughts
Spanish ocurrir
  • ocurrirappear in one's thoughts
Tamil தோன்று
  • தோன்று (tōṉṟu)appear in one's thoughts
Turkish akla gelmek
  • akla gelmekappear in one's thoughts
Cite this entry
APA

spring to mind. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spring%20to%20mind

MLA

“spring to mind.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spring%20to%20mind. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “spring to mind,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/spring%20to%20mind.

Source: spring to mind on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.