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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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
For me, the greatest human invention for abiding with and describing this doubleness—the outward situation and the inward situation, and the two in constant dialogue and crisis—is the novel.
—
Jane Ciabattari
september 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
The winding, heavy riff after the opera section, the one that would give the song one of its many second lives when Mike Myers and Dana Carvey headbanged to it in 1992’s Wayne’s World, was Mercury’s own invention.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025
But Thailand reminded me that time is a human invention.
—Raquel Reichard, Refinery29, 24 Sep. 2025
The public can also view other artifacts of our cooking culture here, including the Bundt pan, which of course is a Minnesota invention.
—Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for invention
Jane Ciabattari
september 25, Literary Hub, 25 Sep. 2025
The winding, heavy riff after the opera section, the one that would give the song one of its many second lives when Mike Myers and Dana Carvey headbanged to it in 1992’s Wayne’s World, was Mercury’s own invention.
—Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 24 Sep. 2025
But Thailand reminded me that time is a human invention.
—Raquel Reichard, Refinery29, 24 Sep. 2025
The public can also view other artifacts of our cooking culture here, including the Bundt pan, which of course is a Minnesota invention.
—Molly Guthrey, Twin Cities, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for invention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invention
Noun
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While OpenAI says that scaling is key to driving innovation and future AI breakthroughs, investors and analysts are beginning to raise their eyebrows over the mindboggling sums.—
Lim Hui Jie,
CNBC,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Made in Africa is a monthly column by Rolling Stone staff writer Mankaprr Conteh that celebrates and interrogates the lives, concerns, and innovations of cultural workers of the African diaspora from their vantage point.—
Mankaprr Conteh,
Rolling Stone,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Meanwhile, shorts compete in the documentary, fiction and New Jersey films categories.—
Andrew McGowan,
Variety,
26 Sep. 2025
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And, for that matter, real fiction—which is where character development comes in.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
This view, for me at least, more than anything else connects the dots of our historically informed imagination.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
-
As his imagination grows into vast cities and impossible creatures, fantasy blurs with reality.—
Christian Blauvelt,
IndieWire,
30 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In blending creativity with community, and in each collection and cause, Scott is passing her Texas spirit onward.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
27 Sep. 2025
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From streetwear to high fashion, the borough has a reputation for individuality and creativity.—
Christopher Claxton,
Billboard,
26 Sep. 2025
Noun
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In a battle between two undefeated NFC teams, the Buccaneers and Eagles played a tale of two halves that came down to the wire.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
29 Sep. 2025
-
Told through empathetic interviews with his bandmates and family, Struebing’s ordeal becomes a tale of partial redemption and a lament about the failure of our justice system to meet the mental-health needs of people caught up in it.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Variloom’s on-demand and on-site 3D print-to-shape fabrication system, for how soft goods and apparel are made, gives brands and suppliers the ability to design and produce customizable, recyclable fabrics in days instead of months, all while bringing the manufacturing closer to the consumer.—
Lauren Parker,
Sourcing Journal,
29 Sep. 2025
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Customers increasingly appreciate show pieces offered in multiple colors and fabrications, giving them a chance to personalize the runway look.—
Samantha Conti,
Footwear News,
29 Sep. 2025
Noun
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These top-down directives often fail to reach the frontlines and, worse, overlook the ingenuity and urgency frontline producers already bring.—
Felipe Arango,
Sourcing Journal,
26 Sep. 2025
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With a name inspired by unity, strength and joy, Zayu transforms on the pitch as a striker, showcasing exceptional ingenuity and agility that intimidates defenders.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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After becoming a hit in 2017, the show's creative team expanded the story beyond the Liane Moriarty novel for a second season in 2019.—
Benjamin VanHoose,
PEOPLE,
1 Oct. 2025
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The feature, based on the 2016 novel by Ruth Ware, has all the ingredients of the perfect midweek movie, a delicious cast full of classy Brit actors, a dollop of mystery and a scrumptious 1 hour and 30 minute runtime.—
Abid Rahman,
HollywoodReporter,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Invention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invention. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.
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