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

Summer is Prime Time to Ideate Given that ideation and introspection are the foundation of any successful passion project, students should be intentional about carving out ample time for this stage in their project timeline. — Christopher Rim, Forbes.com, 20 July 2026

To cope, Nick seems to be turning to alcohol, while Charlie continues to struggle with self-harm ideation and an eating disorder. — David MacK, CNN Money, 17 July 2026

In fact, research shows that talking openly about suicide is an important plank of prevention that can actually decrease suicidal thoughts and ideation. — Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 6 July 2026

The facility supports customers throughout the innovation cycle, from early-stage ideation to near-series prototyping, with capabilities spanning warp knitting, warp preparation and technical textiles. — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 2 July 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