conception

noun

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con·cep·tion | \ kən-ˈsep-shən

Definition of conception

1a(1) : the process of becoming pregnant involving fertilization or implantation or both

(2) : embryo, fetus

b : beginning "Joy had the like conception in our eyes … "— William Shakespeare

2a : the capacity, function, or process of forming or understanding ideas or abstractions or their symbols He directed the project from conception to completion.

b : a general idea : concept We get the conception of an animal … by comparing different animals …— John Stuart Mill

c : a complex product of abstract or reflective thinking the philosopher's conception of reality

d : the sum of a person's ideas and beliefs concerning something his conception of the American dream

3 : the originating of something in the mind an artist's conception of how the city would look a hundred years from now

Other Words from conception Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Phrases Containing conception Learn More About conception

Other Words from conception

conceptional \ kən-ˈsep-shnəl

, -shə-nᵊl \ adjective

conceptive \ kən-ˈsep-tiv

\ adjective

Choose the Right Synonym for conception

idea, concept, conception, thought, notion, impression mean what exists in the mind as a representation (as of something comprehended) or as a formulation (as of a plan). idea may apply to a mental image or formulation of something seen or known or imagined, to a pure abstraction, or to something assumed or vaguely sensed. innovative ideas my idea of paradise concept may apply to the idea formed by consideration of instances of a species or genus or, more broadly, to any idea of what a thing ought to be. a society with no concept of private property conception is often interchangeable with concept; it may stress the process of imagining or formulating rather than the result. our changing conception of what constitutes art thought is likely to suggest the result of reflecting, reasoning, or meditating rather than of imagining. commit your thoughts to paper notion suggests an idea not much resolved by analysis or reflection and may suggest the capricious or accidental. you have the oddest notions impression applies to an idea or notion resulting immediately from some stimulation of the senses. the first impression is of soaring height

Examples of conception in a Sentence

He directed the project from conception to production. the conception of a new device They have a clear conception of how the process works. a child's conception of responsibility They have very different conceptions of the proper role of government.

Recent Examples on the Web We are being forced to rethink every phase, from product conception to packaging, from supply chains to logistics, from communication to sale. — Ildeme Mahinay Koch, Forbes, 13 May 2022 The London Underground system — and especially the map drawn by Harry Beck in 1933 — shapes many people’s conception of the geography of the city. — William Booth, Washington Post, 12 May 2022 Enlarge / Artist's conception of Bungie taking aim at anti-choice activists. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 4 May 2022 This is antithetical to Shakespeare’s (and Macbeth’s) conception of this noble figure. — Charles Isherwood, WSJ, 29 Apr. 2022 Von’s posthumous album honors his personality in full — including the ruthless spirit that shaped the public eye’s conception of him, but not stopping there. — Dewayne Gage, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2022 This conception of happiness encompasses the great contradiction in American culture: individualistic in the focus on the self, yet communitarian in the reliance on a cooperative marketplace. — Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic, 5 May 2022 In our view, perhaps Y2Y’s most significant accomplishment has been expanding the conservation community’s conception of how to do large-landscape conservation effectively and equitably. — The Conversation, oregonlive, 28 Apr. 2022 Light is an intervention; darkness is original, primordial, the backdrop against which conception is forged. — Suzannah Showler, Harper’s Magazine , 27 Apr. 2022 See More

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