Idiom Origins - Think outside the box - History of Think outside the box

Think outside the box

Meanings and origins of thousands of idioms, curious words, and slang.

Origin of: Think outside the box

Think outside the box

To think outside the box is to think creatively or innovatively outside of accepted norms, and has become something of a cliché these days, especially in business circles. The expression is originally American and dates from the late 1960s. The box refers to confined, rigid boundaries.