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
In Second Nature, scientists theorize that Darwin couldn’t help but impose his own heterosexual ideations on animal reproduction, mainly that animals only copulate for the purposes of reproduction, with males being the aggressors and females fluttering their eyelids behind lace fans, or something.
—Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2026
Proper was taken to a hospital, the complaint said, where law enforcement submitted an application for an emergency admission based on his homicidal ideations.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
Investigators said Proper confessed the attack plan to them in an interview at a medical facility, where he was taken for homicidal ideations.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 17 June 2026
The affidavit states that Proper was transported to a local hospital for emergency admission based on what investigators described as homicidal ideation.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 16 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for ideation
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Rachel Brodsky, Rolling Stone, 20 June 2026
Proper was taken to a hospital, the complaint said, where law enforcement submitted an application for an emergency admission based on his homicidal ideations.
—Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 17 June 2026
Investigators said Proper confessed the attack plan to them in an interview at a medical facility, where he was taken for homicidal ideations.
—Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 17 June 2026
The affidavit states that Proper was transported to a local hospital for emergency admission based on what investigators described as homicidal ideation.
—Christina Coulter, PEOPLE, 16 June 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 23 Jun. 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?
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