brainstorming

noun brain·storm·ing \ ˈbrān-ˌstȯr-miŋ \

|Updated on: 15 Jul 2018

: a group problem-solving technique that involves the spontaneous contribution of ideas from all members of the group; also : the mulling over of ideas by one or more individuals in an attempt to devise or find a solution to a problem — see also ²brainstorm

See brainstorming defined for kids

Recent Examples of brainstorming from the Web

After brainstorming sessions with peers with other teams in town, Greene led the creation of Pro Sports Alliance of San Diego.

— danielle ohl, baltimoresun.com, "Trump declines request to lower flags in memory of Capital Gazette shooting victims," 2 July 2018
EagleEyes was the unexpected result of a brainstorming session Dr. Gips held over lunch with another computer-science professor at Boston College, Peter Olivieri.

— james r. hagerty, WSJ, "James Gips Created Technology Allowing People to Use Their Eyes to Control Cursors," 29 June 2018
These comments led to an impromptu brainstorming session between Ali and two other scholar-activists, Maytha Alhassen and Su’ad Abdul Khabeer, about what an approach to mass incarceration rooted in Islam might look like.

— amanda randone, Teen Vogue, "This Ramadan “Believers Bail Out” Wants Muslims to Address Prison Abolition," 11 June 2018
After brainstorming sessions with peers with other teams in town, Greene led the creation of Pro Sports Alliance of San Diego.

— tod leonard, sandiegouniontribune.com, "New Sports Alliance using teamwork to get more attention for San Diego teams," 4 June 2018
When American Top Team decided to open a larger, all-purpose training site not far from its original location which was nestled within a warehouse development, Aguilar and Rodriguez began brainstorming.

— jim varsallone, miamiherald, "UFC's Jessica Aguilar, a former champ, co-owns juice bar inside where she trains | Miami Herald," 23 May 2018
Supervisors of elections from the state’s 67 counties will meet this week at a Fort Lauderdale oceanfront resort hotel for three days of brainstorming.

— steve bousquet, miamiherald, "Russian hackers, long lines: What Florida elections officials are talking about | Miami Herald," 21 May 2018
Ideas seem to flow from one person to the next in a brainstorming session.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Horoscope," 18 May 2018
To create a campaign around a film or TV show, Chung says that Cashmere’s analytical and creative teams have brainstorming sessions to form a strategy that will resonate with diverse communities.

— makeda easter, latimes.com, "How an L.A. agency became a Hollywood go-to for connecting with multicultural audiences," 18 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'brainstorming.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.