How to define a word or term without breaking the flow
Updated May 28, 2026
Quick answer
Two unsatisfying options for defining a term mid-thread in ChatGPT: ask in-thread (and watch the next answer re-explain everything around the definition), or open a new tab (and lose your place). Side Chat is the third option. Highlight the term, ask for a definition in the side panel, and the main thread is unchanged. The definition appears in the right panel and disappears when you close it.
Quick definitions are a category of question where the cost of asking in-thread is high and the value of the answer is low. Side Chat is the natural place for them.
- 1
Select the term in any ChatGPT message
Double-click a single word or drag-select a phrase. The context-menu popover appears with the "Ask in Side Chat" option above the selection.
- 2
Ask for a definition in the side panel
Click "Ask in Side Chat". In the panel, ask "What does this mean?", "Define this in one sentence", or "Plain-English definition". The selected text is attached as context, so the model knows which term you mean.
- 3
Read the definition and close the panel
The definition appears in the right panel. Close it and return to the main thread. ChatGPT in the main conversation has no idea you looked the word up.
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Frequently asked questions
- Why not ask ChatGPT to define the term in the main thread?
- You can, but the next ChatGPT response often re-explains the surrounding answer in terms of the definition you just asked about. That shifts the conversation. Side Chat avoids the shift.
- Does this work for jargon-heavy domains like medicine or law?
- Yes. Side Chat is a separate model and can give domain-specific definitions. For high-stakes contexts (medical, legal), treat the side-chat answer as a starting point and cross-reference an authoritative source.
- Can I get the definition with an example?
- Yes. Add "with an example" to your question in the side panel. The model will return the definition plus an example.
- Is this limited to single words?
- No. You can select a phrase, an acronym, or a longer technical term. The side-chat question is whatever you type; the selection only provides context.
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