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

… 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

Synonyms of ideation

• creativity
• imagination
• imaginativeness

Examples of ideation in a Sentence

a product designer who went from ideation to creation quickly

Recent Examples on the Web

Centric Software said in a statement that Staud has already gone live with Centric PLM, a product lifecycle management platform which optimizes product execution from ideation to development, sourcing and manufacture. — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 24 Sep. 2026

This transforms message mapping and story ideation, letting brand communicators quickly turn fragmented inputs into a cohesive external narrative. — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2026

Recipe ideation Every recipe comes from a pitch—that’s industry speak for an idea. — Chris Morocco, Bon Appetit Magazine, 13 Aug. 2026

Companies can also harness the creativity of their organizations using forums like innovation challenges and ideation events to surface bold ideas. — Harvard Business Review, 11 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1805, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ideation

• suicidal ideation

Rhymes for ideation

• ablation
• aeration
• bination
• carnation
• cassation
• castration
• causation
• centration
• cessation
• cetacean
• chelation
• citation

Medical 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

The 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