Thought Provoking Questions (300+ Ranked!!!)

Looking for thought-provoking questions? Having a conversation can sometimes be difficult when you have exhausted all the common topics. If you are with family or friends and don’t know how to take the conversation ahead, then ask them a few thought provoking questions. These are not casual questions meant to pass the time.

They are serious questions that need a lot of thought to answer. The person answering needs time to compose their answer. Their answer will help you understand a lot about them. If you want to get to know more about a person, then ask them thought provoking questions. Enjoy these questions, and hopefully, it leads past small talk and into deep conversations of genuine interest.

Best questions

—Best thought-provoking questions

What is the goal of humanity?
Do you feel that entire humanity should focus on a common goal? What should that goal be?
Do you feel younger than your biological age or older?
If you could name one book that had a deep impact on your life, which would it be and why?
Do you feel humanity will last for another thousand years, or will it be gone by then?
Would you do it if you could download all your memories into a file for posterity?
What is that one thing you wish you could change about yourself?
When and how do you think humans will become extinct?
Do you feel a person needs to have basic knowledge about everything or a deep knowledge of a few things?
Do you feel that human potential is getting wasted? How can it be prevented?
If you had the choice to turn into an animal, which animal would you choose and why?
If you could go to the past and tell your younger self something, what would it be?
Supposing you had all the money you wanted, would you still work or pursue your passion?
If you could go back in history and change one event, which would it be?
If you could go back and change one event in your life, which event would you change and why?
Should we move ahead to adopt changing values, or should we go back and follow the values our ancestors used to follow?
If not now, then when?
If you had a chance to teach something to the entire world, what would it be?
Supposing a person’s intentions were clear, should you judge the person on their intentions or on their actions?
Why do you think people knowingly do things that negatively affect their health?
Do you think you should live and enjoy the present or live for the future?
If a TV show host could interview you, who would you want to interview you?

Questions for couples

—Best thought-provoking questions for couples

What is it that you want the most from a relationship?
How the first heartbreak you experienced was, and what did you learn from it?
What lessons did you learn from breakups in your life?
What, according to you, is romance all about?
How would you express your love to your partner without words?
If you could gift something to show your love to your partner, what would it be?
Is it important to be rich or happy?
Do you want kids? If yes, how many?
How do you know you are going in the right or wrong direction in life?
What is the thing that had the most significant positive impact on you?
Do you think that you’re in control of your own life?
What is the importance of spending quality time together?
What quality do you expect from your partner that you also share?
Is there anything about you that your partner does not know?
Have you ever been cheated in life? What did you learn from it?
Have you ever done something that you regretted a lot later?
Would you prefer to shout out or keep quiet if you get angry?
If you could change your personality, is there anything you want to change?
Being good-looking or having a pleasant personality, which is important?
What is the importance of trust in a relationship, according to you?
Will you forgive your partner if they tell you a lie and you find out later?
What activity makes you feel most happy?
Which celebrity do you think your partner resembles (in looks or in personality)?
If you could date a celebrity, who would it be and why?
What, according to you, is the one thing that could make or break a relationship?
Should couples show their affection in public?
Who among the two of you is more affectionate?
Who among the two of you is more generous?
What should your partner do to make you love them all the more?
Is there something you wish you and your partner could do together more often?
If there was a song that defined your relationship, which is it?
Is there a song you would like to dedicate to your partner?
Who among the two of you is more emotional?

Expert advice: This study performed in 2018 suggests the power of self-explaining. It shows that critical-thinking, while evidently having influence on higher education, can have unique effects on explaining problems and solutions (mostly positive effects). Deep or thought-provoking thinking improves our abilities to communicate.

Something to ask to get your brain thinking! — It’s time to learn who is truly deep!

Questions for friends

—Best thought-provoking questions for friends

What, according to you, are the 3 things you expect from a friendship?
What do you like most about our friendship, and what is the area for improvement?
Have you ever broken a friendship and regretted it later?
Which are your top 3 favorite movies and why?
Who is your favorite actor, and why?
Who is your favorite author, and which of their books do you like the most?
Would you like to watch a movie/show with friends or chat over tea?
If there was only one thing you could do for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Supposing you could change one thing about your best friend, what would you change?
What makes you angry the most?
What is important to you – status or money?
What is the “human race?”
Why do you think we live in a more chaotic world compared to the past?
What past event truly defined your identity?
Which past event would you do over if you could?
Do you think personal relationships are important to have?
Is there any dream you have that you would like to share?
What do you want people around you to feel when they spend time with you?
According to you, would friendships get diluted after friends get married?
Who among your friends do you respect the most and why?
Who is that one friend you need to talk to every day?
What do you remember about kindergarten?
Who was your first friend, and how long did the friendship last?
If you could go on a holiday with your best friend, which destination would you choose and why?
What is your most embarrassing memory from childhood?
Is there any occasion when a friend saved you from an embarrassing situation?
Are you a leader or a follower?
If you are in deep trouble, whom would you call to come and help?
Define a friend in one sentence.
What are the 3 must-have qualities you expect in a friend?
Would you break a relationship if it is going to affect your friendship with your bestie?
If you could advise your best friend on something, what would it be?

Good questions for teens

—Best thought-provoking questions for teens

What do you like most about your parents, and what do you dislike the most?
Name one thing you like the most about siblings.
Which is your favorite subject and why?
What subject do you hate the most and why?
Is there something you learned from a teacher that you will never forget? What is it?
If you could change your school, would you do it? Why?
What are the 3 things you like the most about school?
What are the 3 things you hate about school?
If you felt completely alone, how would you solve it?
Do you think it’s important to be an avid reader?
If you were made the principal of your school for a day, what would you do?
What is your favorite pastime?
Do you think there must be a time restriction on using mobile phones?
How would you react if your parents told you they wanted to install a camera in your room to keep an eye on you?
Do you think parents should stop asking questions to kids?
What do you do in your free time?
Who in your house do you look up to and why?
If you could describe yourself in three words, what words would you use?
Is it important to regularly update everything you do on social media?
Is social media use good or bad?
Do you agree that it is important to play a sport?
How important are exercise and physical activity for you?
Would you prefer to attend classes in person or online classes?
What is the funniest thing that happened in school?
Is there any moment from school that you remember and feel proud of?
What is your biggest achievement so far?
Is there anything you regret not being able to do or learn?
If there was one thing you could change about yourself, what would it be?
If you could switch places with a famous person for a day, with whom would you like to do the swap?
What do you want to do 5 years from now?
Do you want to be rich, famous, strong, or good liking? Choose only one from this list.

Good questions for business

—Best thought-provoking questions for business/work

Do you think the goal of a business should be profit or doing something good for society?
Given a choice, would you create a product that earns your higher revenue or that helps people?
Which is more important for a business – employees or technology?
If you could start any business of your choice, what would be your choice?
Customer-first or employee-first, which do you think is the right motto for a business?
Given a choice, would you choose a strategy to kill your competition?
What are the strengths that make you the right choice to run a business?
Based on the economic situation in the country and worldwide, what are the challenges you expect for your business?
Are you optimistic that your business will grow well in the coming years? What do you foresee will be the trend in the next couple of years?
What are the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT) of your business?
Do you believe that it is important to diversify the business by offering different products?
How will you make work enjoyable in your business?
What is the important thing to do to win over customers?
How would you keep your customers loyal to your business?
Do you think it is possible to ensure customer delight? How can it be done?
According to you, how important are financial rewards to make employees loyal to the company?
Is it possible to create and build a business by strictly following ethical practices?
Can you share your experiences and challenges while growing your business?
Would you recommend fresh college graduates to first try for a job or become an entrepreneur and start a business?
What advice would you give other business persons based on your experience?
What, according to you, is the secret to success in business?
Who is your role model who inspired you in your business?

Thought-provoking questions for mental health

Do you ever feel worried about the future? What scares you the most?
Are you an optimistic person by nature or pessimistic?
What is it that makes you feel anxious and stressed?
Do you experience stress daily? What do you do when you feel stressed?
Are you worried that you are overworking and the strain is affecting your health?
Do you ever feel depressed? Does this happen frequently?
What do you do when you feel depressed? What gives you solace?
Do you have mood swings where you experience changing moods frequently? What do you do in such a situation?
Is there any incident in your life that you recall repeatedly and which makes you feel anxious or scared?
Have you ever felt that you should see a doctor to help improve your mental health?
Are you able to take up a hobby or pursue an interest that helps you feel relaxed?
Do you experience problems sleeping? What do you do if you are not able to sleep?
Do you have any frequent dreams or nightmares that make you feel worried?
What are your dreams for the future? What are you doing to achieve these dreams?
What is it that you like doing the most? Are you able to spend time on such activities?
Do you feel tired or listless? Do you feel that you are running out of energy?
Are you able to concentrate on your work? Do you feel distracted?
Do you practice meditation or do anything to be relaxed and improve your mood?

Thought provoking questions for kids

What do you like most about going to school?
Do you prefer time spent in school or time spent at home?
Who are your best friends? How do you spend time with them?
What do you like about your parents the most?
Is there anything you want to change about your parents?
Do you believe homework should be banned? Why?
What kind of food do you like the most? What food do you dislike?
Do you feel it is wrong to eat meat by killing animals?
Do you go to bed at the time fixed by your parents daily or prefer to sleep when you wish?
Is watching TV good for you? What do you like most about TV?
Would you prefer watching TV/movie or reading a book?
Which is your favorite book, and why do you like it?
If you could meet a character from a book, who would it be and why?
Do you prefer to read a physical book or read it on a device?
Do you have a mobile phone of your own? Should kids have mobile phones?
Are mobile phones good or bad?
Do you believe children should now be allowed to use social media?
Are zoos good for animals, or do you feel they are like prisons for animals?
Should kids wear uniforms?
If you meet an alien, what will you tell them?
Do you want to learn a new language? If so, which language and why?
What do you feel most happy about?
If you could study at home without going to school, would you like it or do you prefer school?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
Why do you think it is important to care for the environment?
What would you do if there was no TV or internet for 24 hours?
Do you prefer to play outdoors in a park or at home?

Expert advice: A study Gary L. Brase suggests that “no single normative standard will ever work for all types of thinking,” and refers to the importance of “deep thinking” as a “multi-modular framework for the mind overcomes several critical conceptual and theoretical challenges to our understanding of human thinking.” What does this mean? Thinking deeply is good for your mental health!

Thought-provoking questions for parents

When you were kids, how did you enjoy your holidays?
If you had to go to school again, would you enjoy it?
Do you enjoy your work or do you do it because you have to earn money?
When you were kids, how would you concentrate on your studies?
What did you want to be when you were kids and did you achieve it?
What do you do in your free time?
Which activities do you like to do on a holiday?
Do you prefer spending time at home with family members or going out with friends?
What did you learn from your parents?
Is there anything you feel you should have done in your childhood but couldn’t do?
Do you think parents should constantly worry about their kids or stop worrying and allow them to get on with their lives?
Is it required that parents check their kids mobile phones and ask them questions about their day?
Do you like to play with kids daily? What would you like to play?
How did you feel the day your first child was born?
Do you have dreams for your kids? Are they different from your dreams?
Do you feel kids should spend more time outdoors or spend time using gadgets?
What will you do if you feel your kid is having a friend who is not the right choice?
Do you feel your kids should have a schedule for studying, sleeping, playing, etc, and follow it daily?
Do you feel kids should spend more time with their grandparents?
As a parent, if you were asked to advise someone else, what advice would you give?
What is it that makes you a proud parent?
Do you have any regrets about the way you brought up your kid(s)?
If you could change one thing about your parenting style, what would it be?

Funny thought-provoking questions

If you had the power to become invisible or to fly, which would you choose and why?
What will you do if you see Dracula walking towards you in a dark lane?
If you could date a superhero, who would you choose and why?
If you had the power to read just one person’s mind, whose mind would you want to read?
A yacht or a personal jet? Which would you choose and why?
If you could make people forget one thing about you what would you choose?
Which is a body part you wouldn’t mind losing?
What is the biggest mess up that you would have done and feel most embarrassed about?
If you had Harry Potter’s wand with you, what would you do?
You have to spend a million dollars in 20 minutes in a supermarket, how would you do it?
What is the craziest thing you have ever done? Would you do it again?
If you could participate in a reality show, which would it be and why?
You have a chance to win a million dollars, but you must spend a year in prison to win it? Would you go for it?
Is there anything you saw in a TV show/movie that really happened with you?
What would you prefer – getting a million followers on social media or having tea with your favorite celeb?
If you could change your name, what new name would you choose and why?
If you could change your appearance and look like someone else, who would do you choose and why?
Supposing you had a time machine and could choose any year in the past to travel to, which year would you choose?
If you had to show your talent on TV for a minute, what would you do?
Supposing you became President for a day, how would you spend the day?

First-date thought-provoking questions

What is unique about you?
Tell me some fun facts about you.
What are your dreams, aspirations, and hopes?
Are you happy with what you have achieved?
Do you believe it is important to focus more on career or family life?
What makes you happy in life?
What is your favorite joke, and why do you like it so much?
Is there anything that makes you irritated?
Is there any embarrassing incident that you would like to talk about?
Which is your favorite place, and why do you like to go there?
Would you want to spend time on an island or a mountain top?
What is an ideal way to spend a holiday – go outdoors or relax at home?
If you had to choose between working at a job and starting a business, which would you choose?
Are you a low-risk taker, or are you prepared to take risks?
Who are the special persons in your life and why are they special?
What is the best gift you ever received?
How is a typical day in your life like?
If you could recommend a book to read, which would you recommend and why?
What food do you hate the most and are not ready to eat?
Can you share a great piece of advice someone gave you?
Who is your closest friend and what makes you like them?
As a kid, what did you like doing the most?
Which is your favorite restaurant and what food do you prefer to order?
Do you prefer to dine out or order food and eat at home?
What is your pet peeve?
If you got a chance to go to another country for work and settle there permanently, would you do it?
What will you do if you have a boss from hell who harasses you daily?
Do you have a bucket list of things you must do? Can you share a few things from the list?
What do you want in life?
Do you still keep in touch with your friends from school?

Questions to get to know someone

Who is your favorite celebrity and why?
Is there anything you feel you can learn from social media or is it just a time-pass activity?
Do you believe in God? Why?
Have you ever thought about the future? Do you feel you must live for the present and not worry about the future?
If you had a time machine and could either go to the past or the future, which would you choose?
If you could travel to any place in the world, which place would you choose and why?
What is it about yourself that you like the most?
Is there anything about yourself that you hate? Why?
If you got a chance to become a cartoon character, who would you choose?
Are you a dog person or a cat person or both?
Suppose you had a chance to have dinner with any person from the past or present, who would you choose and why?
If there was only one food you could eat for the rest of your life, which would it be?
Imagine that you can communicate with animals, what would you ask your pet?
Given a chance to participate in the Olympics, which sport would you want to participate in?
If a movie was made about your life, who should act in it?
Would you prefer to try and fail and not take the risk of failing?
Is there something you do differently than others?
If you found that you could live for only 10 more years, how would you spend life?
What is it that makes your smile and feel happy?
If you wanted someone to advise you, who would you choose?
What, according to you, is the most important trait a person should have?
What is it that you feel them most grateful about?
If you had a chance to relive your life, would you choose it or would you like to choose another life?
Is it important to do the right things or do things right?

Ones to use for school

What do you like most about school?
What are the things you dislike about school and what do you think should be done about it?
Do you have a favorite teacher? Who is it and why do you like them?
Which is your favorite subject at school and why?
Is there any subject at school you hate? Why?
Which subject do you find easy at school?
Which subject do you struggle with in school?
Do you have friends at school? What do you like about them?
What do you feel about sports and other activities at school?
What improvements can be made to make your school better?
If you had to change schools, would you do it happily?
What is your view on homework at school? Is it too much?
How good are the teachers at school? Do they make learning interesting?
Do you take part in the discussions and debates at school?
What is your plan for the future? Have you thought about a career to choose?
Does your school help or advise you on future career options?
What do you feel about tests and exams at school?
Do you fear tests and exams? How do you prepare for them?
If there was a school where there were no tests and exams, would you attend such a school?
Supposing you had to a foreign country and join a school there, would you be willing?
What are you strengths and weaknesses as a student?
Is there any happy memory about school that you will remember for a very long time?
What is rule at school that is most difficult to follow?
If you are bored at school, what do you do?
Have you ever done anything at school that made you feel guilty?
What is the most challenging situation you faced at school? How did you handle it?
Are you worried about bullying at school? If you are bullied, how will you handle it?

Questions for relationships

Who was your first crush?
What did you learn from your first relationship?
Is it possible to have a permanent relationship with the first person you fall in love with?
Do you remember your first ever date? How does it go?
How do you think you can make a relationship stronger?
What qualities do partners in a relationship need to make it work?
What are the traits you need to change if you want your relationship to succeed?
Do you feel it is acceptable to lie, if the situation calls for it?
If you have to break the law to escape from a tough situation, would you do it?
If you have cheated in a relationship, will you confess it to your partner?
How did you celebrate last Valentine’s Day?
Have you written letters to your partner?
Do you keep a personal diary and write down your feelings in them?
If you get a chance to check your partner’s mobile phone, will you do it?
If you find that your partner has installed a spy app on your mobile, how will you react?
How important is trust in a relationship?
What, according to you, are the things that can break a relationship?
Do you expect your partner to tell you everything about themselves and what they do?
Do you feel both partners in a relationship are entitled to their privacy?
What is your view on marriage?
Do you believe divorce is wrong and partners must somehow try and maintain the relationship?
If your partner asked you to get rid of your pet, how would you react?
Do you remember your first argument with your partner? How did it end?
What will you do if your partner is angry with you?
How will you react if your partner says they want to break up?
Do you believe it is possible to have a long-distance relationship?
Do you think best friends falling in love and being partners would work out well?
How do you think a couple should handle money matters?

Weird thought-provoking questions

Supposing you found out that your partner is a spy working for a foreign country, what would you do?
If you could go for a holiday in a submarine, would you be willing?
What is something you find highly ridiculous?
Supposing you had to eat pizza with pineapple topping and there was nothing else, what would you do?
If you could be part of a secret society, would you want to join?
Supposing you were offered a huge amount to steal a report from your workplace, would you do it?
What is your view of the internet in general?
Supposing you had to insult someone in public, would you do it?
If there was one food that you could remove from the world, which would it be?
Is there anything weird a guest did in your house?
What is the weirdest thing you have seen in someone’s house?
Supposing you had to hunt a tiger without a weapon, how would you do it?
If life was a video game, do you think there are cheat codes available?
Is there any incident that you realized was embarrassing only much later?
If you could act in any TV show by replacing an actor, which shows and which actor do you choose?
Supposing you could win a million dollars, but had to commit a minor crime; would you do it?
If you suddenly found that you had the body of a ten-year-old, how would you react?
Supposing there was no other food in the world other than vegetables, then what would you eat?
Is there anyone you admired from far but was repulsed when you met them closely?
If you got a boon to live forever, but could do it alone without the company of humans, how would you react?
If you had a scary dream and the next day, the dream starts to come true, how would you react?
What would you do first if you become the mayor of your town/city with total authority?
How would you react if you woke up and found yourself in prison?

Thought provoking questions about diversity and inclusion

How important is it for a school to have diversity in its student population?
Do you think diversity is a topic that is given too much importance or is it a key topic in today’s world?
What would you say if you were asked to share a work cabin with someone who does not speak your language?
If you were discriminated against based on your skin color or religion, how would you react?
How do you think diversity can be celebrated?
By focusing on diversity and inclusion, do you think hatred among people would reduce?
If you were running a business, would you hire a skilled person if you found they were part of the LGBT community?
If your child comes and asks you what is meant by being gay, how would you answer their question?
How would you react if someone from another country is appointed as your boss?
Do you feel that borders should be closed to immigrants from other countries?
Should every country restrict immigrants based on criteria like education and background?
What according to you is equality? Is it possible to ensure equality?
Do you have any strong biases towards any country/thing/community/person?
Is it possible to remove biases or make people change strong opinions they have?
Do you think a person with a disability should be given special consideration, so they can compete with others?
How do you think a community can be more inclusive?
If you were heading a business, what would you do to make your business more inclusive?
Are you interested to learn about other cultures and communities?
If you were asked to celebrate a festival from another religion/culture, what would you do?
You have a new colleague who belongs to a minority community and is the only person from that community. How would you make them welcome and help them get adjusted?
What do you think are the barriers to diversity and inclusion in a community or organization?

Basic but deep thought-provoking questions

If there was such a thing as time travel, what would you future self want to tell your current self?
What life lesson have you learned that you feel is incredibly valuable?
What’s the most defining moment of your life so far?
Do you think human nature needs morals and values?
Does fate exist?
Does true love exist?
Are we living a real life or is this a simulation?
If you could change anything about your life, how would you live your life differently?
What’s the most useless talent that you have, but makes you who you are?
Which family member do you look up to?
Do you think that we live in personal prisons because we judge each other on how we look?
What is one life-changing decision that you’ve made recently?
What are the best things to look for in a romantic partner?
Would you rather have complete control over your life or give it all to free will?
Should we listen to that inner voice in our minds?
Would you rather have a good life and no money or more money and a sad life?
Where do you find inspiration?
What is one ridiculous thing that you do, but makes you who you are?
Is there such a thing as superficial knowledge?
Have you ever felt lonely? What did you do to solve it?
Do you believe that real magic existed at one point in our culture?

Thought-provoking questions (images to share)

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Fact checked:
Board reviewed by Marianne Tomlinson, LCSW (Couples and Family Therapy). Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Learn more.

About the author

Ryan Sanderson (LCSW) Ryan is a game and relationship enthusiast who enjoys all things quizzes, games, fun, love, relationships, and family. He's a licensed social worker and helps families, couples, and children in need. He's spoken about love and relationships on Salon.com, Forbes, and Mirror, to name a few.