ideation
noun
ide·a·tion
ˌī-dē-ˈā-shən 
: the capacity for or the act of forming or entertaining ideas
Local coaches and mentors guide student teams through the process of ideation, market research, and business plan development …—
Maryann Mills
Maryann Mills… the new space offers a smorgasbord of work environments—cozy two-chair-and-a-screen setups for small Zoom gatherings, … and floor-to-ceiling whiteboards in some places for spontaneous ideation …—Chase DiFeliciantonio
see also suicidal ideation
Chase DiFeliciantonioExamples of ideation in a Sentence
a product designer who went from ideation to creation quickly
Recent Examples on the Web
The agency in January requested the removal of boxed warnings for suicidal behavior or ideation from those medications.
—Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Studies have also shown that extreme heat can exacerbate conditions such as depression, anxiety and suicide ideation.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
The organization implements careful deployment of the capital, strengthened by human support to encourage and bolster ideation and creativity processes.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
That governance model evolved over time, moving upstream into ideation and pilot phases rather than serving as a final gate.
—Peter High, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ideation
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2026
Studies have also shown that extreme heat can exacerbate conditions such as depression, anxiety and suicide ideation.
—Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 14 Feb. 2026
The organization implements careful deployment of the capital, strengthened by human support to encourage and bolster ideation and creativity processes.
—Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
That governance model evolved over time, moving upstream into ideation and pilot phases rather than serving as a final gate.
—Peter High, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for ideation
Cite this Entry
“Ideation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ideation. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
ideation
noun
ide·a·tion
ˌīd-ē-ˈā-shən
: the capacity for or the act of forming or entertaining ideas
The spectrum of paranoid ideation goes from mild distrust and suspiciousness to full-blown persecutory delusions.—R. Bianchi and L. Janin, Occupational Medicine
R. Bianchi and L. Janin, Occupational MedicineThe cognitive ability to generate many creative ideas, or creative ideation, is one facet of creativity.—Tammy C. Pannells and Amy F. Claxton, Creativity Research Journal
see also suicidal ideation
Tammy C. Pannells and Amy F. Claxton, Creativity Research JournalLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
