conception

noun

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 Learn More about conception

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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

But for all its advantages, AFM-315’s journey from conception to launch has been a long one. — Daniel Oberhaus, WIRED, "A New Fuel for Satellites Is So Safe It Won’t Blow Up Humans," 12 June 2019 By examining their reproductive cycle, which takes mere weeks to go from conception to birth, Tash aims to finally figure out why mice have trouble reproducing in space. — Amber Jorgenson, Discover Magazine, "Sex and the Cosmic City," 18 Apr. 2019 Based on her conception date of January 18, 2019, the calf is expected arrive in mid-April 2020. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, "Toronto Zoo Shares Precious Giraffe Pregnancy Announcement on World Giraffe Day," 21 June 2019 The law makes Indiana one of the few states to regulate donor conception. — Jacqueline Mroz, New York Times, "Their Children Were Conceived With Donated Sperm. It Was the Wrong Sperm.," 3 June 2019 The Supreme Court has reinforced that conception by upholding Trump’s blatantly anti-Muslim executive order restricting immigration. — Jonathan Stevenson, The New York Review of Books, "Jonathan Stevenson," 23 May 2019 Rulers down through Napoleon Bonaparte issued their own codes to unite realms that contained people of many different customs and conceptions of justice—and to discourage them from taking the law into their own hands. — National Geographic, "Who was Hammurabi?," 22 Apr. 2019 My conceptions of masculinity and adulthood were out of whack with my perception of myself. — Aram Mrjoian, Longreads, "Bearing the Weight of My Grandfathers’ Old Clothes," 15 June 2019 Much thought has been devoted through the whole modern period to diminishing our conception of ourselves as human beings. — Marilynne Robinson, Harper's magazine, "Is Poverty Necessary?," 10 June 2019

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.