: 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
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Share [Findings] Sets of both fraternal and identical twins exhibit internally similar metacognitive abilities, suggesting that metacognition is environmental rather than heritable. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 22 Jan. 2025 Nord Anglia Education, a network of over 80 international schools, launched this initiative in 2023 to teach metacognition. Dan Fitzpatrick, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of metacognition was in 1972

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Cite this Entry

“Metacognition.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/metacognition. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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