the idea
noun
: the central meaning or purpose of something : goal or intention
The whole idea of the game is to keep from getting caught.
The idea is to get people to attend.
Examples of the idea in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
In an exclusive clip shared with PEOPLE from this week's episode of The Kardashians, the Good American co-founder, 39, sits down with Haqq, 41, as the mom of one discusses the idea of using a sperm bank for a second baby.
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Emma Aerin Becker, Peoplemag, 12 June 2024
The civic engagement organization’s poll indicates that Latino voters aren’t turning away from the Democratic Party and moving toward the Republican Party, but rather that more of them are open to the idea of electing a third-party candidate.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 12 June 2024
For people who opt for these alternative burials, the ecological motives are often intertwined with spiritual ones — they are drawn to the idea of becoming part of the earth and something greater than themselves.
—Sophia Liang, The Courier-Journal, 12 June 2024
Attorney General Rob Bonta and former state Attorney General and current U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra have also floated the idea of running.
—The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 11 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for the idea 
Emma Aerin Becker, Peoplemag, 12 June 2024
The civic engagement organization’s poll indicates that Latino voters aren’t turning away from the Democratic Party and moving toward the Republican Party, but rather that more of them are open to the idea of electing a third-party candidate.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 12 June 2024
For people who opt for these alternative burials, the ecological motives are often intertwined with spiritual ones — they are drawn to the idea of becoming part of the earth and something greater than themselves.
—Sophia Liang, The Courier-Journal, 12 June 2024
Attorney General Rob Bonta and former state Attorney General and current U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra have also floated the idea of running.
—The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 11 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for the idea
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'the idea.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“The idea.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/the%20idea. Accessed 16 Jun. 2024.
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