10 Other Ways to Say “Talking to Myself”

Are you trying to attribute a word to talking to yourself in your head or out loud? We’ll touch on words for both inner and outer conversations you might have!

Below are some of the best synonyms demonstrating how you might talk to yourself:

• Reflect
• Thinking out loud
• Deliberate
• Ruminate
• Ponder
• Think things through
• Soliloquize
• Monologuing
• Musing
• Brainstorming

The best words for “talking to myself” are “reflect,” “thinking out loud,” and “deliberate.”

Keep reading to learn more about these words and some other great choices to describe having a conversation with yourself.

1. Reflect

“Reflect” is a great word for talking to oneself. It shows that you converse with yourself in your head without bothering anyone else with the information.

People generally reflect when they need some peace and quiet while thinking things through.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “reflect” as “to think quietly and calmly.”

You might use it as follows:

• I tend to reflect a lot when I’m on my own. It helps me clear my mind.

2. Thinking Out Loud

“Thinking out loud” (or “thinking aloud”) is a great synonym. You can use it to show that you are talking to yourself aloud, meaning that other people might hear you if they are close enough.

So, you should definitely be careful what you say when thinking out loud. While airing your thoughts is good, it could also get you in trouble if you think negatively.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “thinking out loud” as “to say one’s thoughts so that other people can hear them.”

Here is how you might use “thinking out loud”:

• She keeps thinking out loud. I don’t think she realizes that we’re all within hearing range!

3. Deliberate

“Deliberate” is a great verb used to show that you are talking to yourself. Deliberating refers to systematic and careful thinking in your head without worrying about other people distracting you.

You can have full conversations with yourself when deliberating. This often helps people to figure out exactly what they need to do before coming up with any solutions.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “deliberate” as “to think about or discuss issues and decisions carefully.”

Here is a quick example to help you with it:

• You like to deliberate, don’t you? You do it so often; it feels like even I can hear the voices in your head!

4. Ruminate

“Ruminate” is a great term to show someone talking to themselves. It means you repeat things in your mind until you agree with yourself.

Yes, you can have a full debate in your mind when you ruminate. Most people can hear multiple voices in their heads when they ruminate, so it’s like a full discussion takes place in their minds before they make any decisions.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “ruminate” as “to go over in the mind repeatedly and often casually or slowly.”

Here is a quick look at how the term works:

• I always ruminate when I’m in a quiet room. It gives me time to think things through properly.

5. Ponder

“Ponder” means to reflect or think about something. You can ponder yourself, meaning that you talk to yourself before making any decisions.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “ponder” as “to think about” or “reflect on.”

Here is a quick look at how to use it:

• I like to ponder when things get a bit tricky. I can always trust myself to come up with a good solution.

6. Think Things Through

“Think things through” is a phrasal verb showing that you want to take your time thinking about things. This often means you will talk to yourself in your head before coming up with any relevant solutions.

“Through” suggests that you’ll spend a lot of time thinking about things before determining the best course of action. It implies that you will take longer than most to think about your options, which can result in a long conversation with yourself.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “think things through” as “to think about all the different parts or effects of (something) for a period of time, especially in an effort to understand or make a decision about it.”

Here is a quick example that will help you with this one:

• You need to think things through more often. When I do it, I feel much more confident with my decisions.

7. Soliloquize

“Soliloquize” is a great term, although it might not be the most well-known. It comes from the term soliloquy, which is an utterance from one character in a play that gives the illusion of being a reflection of their thoughts rather than the spoken word.

You can “soliloquize” when thinking and talking to yourself. While nobody around you can hear your thoughts, the verb implies that people can hear the conversations with you as if they are your audience.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “soliloquize” as “talk to oneself.”

Check out this example to help you with it:

• I like to soliloquize when I’m stressed. It helps me to understand what I need to do.

8. Monologuing

“Monologuing” is a slightly simpler variation of “soliloquize.” More native speakers are familiar with the term, making it more effective in most cases.

It comes from playwriting and performances where one character speaks for a long time. When used as a verb, it implies that you talk to yourself before deciding anything.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “monologuing” as “soliloquy” or “the act of talking to oneself.”

Here is a quick example showing you how to use it:

• I’m monologuing in my mind. I don’t want people to disturb me because I’m on a roll!

9. Musing

“Musing” is a form of meditation that allows you to talk to yourself. You will find yourself having conversations or discussions in your mind when you muse correctly.

It’s great to use this term to show that you are reflecting. It lets people know you want to talk to yourself for a moment while you think of what to do.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “musing” as “meditation.”

Here is a quick example that might help:

• Forgive my musing, but I must figure some things out. I hope you don’t mind.

10. Brainstorming

“Brainstorming” is a good choice to show that you talk to yourself when thinking through certain ideas. It suggests you want to find a solution with yourself before you give anyone a concrete answer to a question.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines “brainstorming” as “the mulling over of ideas by one or more individuals in an attempt to devise or find a solution to a problem.”

Check out this example to help you with it:

• I’m not sure why I’m always brainstorming. I could speak to others, but I prefer listening to myself!