ideation

noun ide·a·tion \ ˌī-dē-ˈā-shən \

Updated on: 17 May 2018

Definition of ideation

: the capacity for or the act of forming or entertaining ideas

suicidal ideation

Examples of ideation in a Sentence

caregivers are trained to watch for signs of depression and suicidal ideation—some patients are likely to put their fantasies to action

Recent Examples of ideation from the Web

The Stranger Things star even talked about how those obsessive thoughts led her to suicidal ideations.

— meagan fredette, refinery29.com, "Shannon Purser Wants To Remind Everyone OCD Is About More Than Compulsions," 5 May 2018
Four serious side effects were reported during the course of the study, though three of these events -- suicide ideation, major depression and appendicitis -- were not attributed to MDMA.

— susan scutti, CNN, "MDMA enhances treatment for veterans with PTSD, study finds," 1 May 2018
O’Connor reportedly entered a treatment facility following McGraw’s recommendation, but later criticized the center for allegedly not providing adequate care to patients with suicidal ideation.

— maggie serota, Billboard, "Sinead O'Connor Announces New U.S. Concert Dates," 24 Mar. 2018
Over 5,000 people with suicidal ideation called Línea PAS, a government helpline, between Sept. 2017 and Jan. 2018.

— nicole acevedo, NBC News, "Suicide rates spike in Puerto Rico, five months after Maria," 20 Feb. 2018
During this time, my shame led me to partake in acts of self-harm and suicidal ideation for several years.

— Seventeen, "Revenge Porn Almost Took My Life — Here’s How I Got It Back," 6 Mar. 2018
It can be used not just for school violence actions, but it can also be used for suicidal ideations and other things of that nature.

— BostonGlobe.com, "Read a transcript of President Trump’s Thursday meeting on gun violence," 22 Feb. 2018
All mental-health professionals should be required to report patients who voice homicidal ideation or lose their licenses.

— WSJ, "How Best to Effectively Stop Mass Shootings," 2 Mar. 2018
And a wide range of mental illnesses increase a person’s risk of suicidal ideation.

— eric levitz, Daily Intelligencer, "On Guns, Liberals Are Flirting With the Politics of Fear. That’s Scary.," 22 Feb. 2018

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

First Known Use of ideation

1818

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

ideation Synonyms

Financial Definition of IDEATION

ideation

noun

What It Is

Ideation is the act of forming ideas.

How It Works

For example, let's say Company XYZ makes widgets, and it wants to get into the children's widget market. Its product development team starts brainstorming ideas for specs, features and production methods.

This ideation process includes listing possible product features, designing prototypes, manufacturing prototypes, doing market research, and going back to square one with various iterations until something marketable and profitable emerges.

In a purely marketing context, ideation might involve creating an image board or concept for advertising.

Why It Matters

Ideation is what many business people spend a significant time doing. Without creativity, experimentation and dreaming, businesses would be far less innovative and thus far less profitable.

Source: Investing Answers