1
as in innovation
something (as a device) created for the first time through the use of the imagination
his clever invention made people's lives easier
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fiction
something that is the product of the imagination
unsurprisingly, the story about being kidnapped by aliens was pure invention
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3
as in imagination
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others
a writer with great invention, she is able to create on the page worlds that don't exist but certainly seem like they could
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4
as in creativity
the skill and imagination to create new things
a person of seemingly endless invention, Thomas Edison held a world-record 1,093 patents
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of invention
Herb's invention becomes an instant bestseller.
—
Dan Snierson, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026
The Wright brothers launched their airplane factory at a time when Dayton had established itself as one of the world's most innovative cities, according to Lockhart, who noted that Dayton was the home of several world-changing inventions at the time.
—Randy Tucker, USA Today, 15 June 2026
Creativity gives rise to technological progress and transformative inventions, which provide a new driving force for the economy and a focal point for investors.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Ahren Hoffman, director of the Young Inventor Challenge, called it an opportunity for kids between the ages of 6 to 18 to submit their original, unique toy and game inventions.
—Felicity Abbott, CBS News, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for invention
Dan Snierson, Entertainment Weekly, 16 June 2026
The Wright brothers launched their airplane factory at a time when Dayton had established itself as one of the world's most innovative cities, according to Lockhart, who noted that Dayton was the home of several world-changing inventions at the time.
—Randy Tucker, USA Today, 15 June 2026
Creativity gives rise to technological progress and transformative inventions, which provide a new driving force for the economy and a focal point for investors.
—John Cassidy, New Yorker, 15 June 2026
Ahren Hoffman, director of the Young Inventor Challenge, called it an opportunity for kids between the ages of 6 to 18 to submit their original, unique toy and game inventions.
—Felicity Abbott, CBS News, 15 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for invention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invention
Noun
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That changed as Americans wholeheartedly embraced the automobile and a new innovation—the drive-in gasoline station—proliferated at an astonishing rate across the country.—
Daniel Yergin,
Time,
20 June 2026
-
Gautam Mukunda writes about corporate management and innovation.—
Gautam Mukunda,
Mercury News,
20 June 2026
Noun
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Understanding an absent father through fiction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 June 2026
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Zevin’s novel has been named one of the 100 best books of the 21st century by the New York Times and one of the best fiction books of the last 30 years by the Los Angeles Times.—
Angelique Jackson,
Variety,
18 June 2026
Noun
-
In my imagination, writing and publishing the piece was a defense against the cardiac blues.—
Ben Lerner,
New Yorker,
21 June 2026
-
Costco still owns the warehouse-club imagination in America.—
Gabriel Alin Zainescu,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2026
Noun
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Vendors participating in JuneteethKC’s 15th annual Heritage Festival lined 18th Street to celebrate freedom, culture and creativity.—
Sophia Buonpane,
Kansas City Star,
20 June 2026
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Mika McCants, owner and CEO of Spoiled Boutique, is the creative force behind this Juneteenth celebration that celebrates culture, creativity and community.—
Laura A. Oda,
Mercury News,
20 June 2026
Noun
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One tree may have even witnessed the grisly moment told of in tall tales, which gave Hangman's Gulch its name, but sadly, the tree recently died and had to be cut down for the safety of trail users.—
Olivia Young,
CBS News,
19 June 2026
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China has two films in the main competition, the 2025 $215m box office hit Nobody by Shui Yu, and Tana, a contemporary tale about a young woman who leaves Shanghai to support her ailing father in Inner Mongolia.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
19 June 2026
Noun
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There's also a palpable new seam of imaginativeness among residents.—
Toby Skinner,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Nov. 2024
Noun
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But without freedom, Berdyaev writes, creativeness is impossible.—
Andrew McDiarmid,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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As sales of the new product grew globally, cases of silicosis among countertop fabrication workers appeared in the United States in 2014, Australia in 2015, and more recently in Great Britain, China and Taiwan.—
David Michaels,
Fortune,
21 June 2026
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Live·Team Acquires Branding and Signage Business Desert Roots Branding, signage, custom fabrication and live event company Live·Team has acquired branding and signage business Desert Roots, who are based in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).—
Sportico Staff,
Sportico.com,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Invention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invention. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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