ingenuity

noun

in·​ge·​nu·​i·​ty ˌin-jə-ˈnü-ə-tē 

-ˈnyü-

plural ingenuities

1

a

: skill or cleverness in devising or combining : inventiveness

b

: cleverness or aptness of design or contrivance

2

: an ingenious device or contrivance

3

obsolete : candor, ingenuousness

Synonyms

• cleverness
• creativeness
• creativity
• imagination
• imaginativeness
• ingeniousness
• innovativeness
• invention
• inventiveness
• originality

Examples of ingenuity in a Sentence

She showed amazing ingenuity in finding ways to cut costs.

It will take considerable ingenuity to fix these problems.

Recent Examples on the Web

This combination brings velocity, pertinence and ingenuity. 3. —Gaurav Aggarwal, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025

From the first successful airplane flight to landing a man on the moon, nothing can stop American grit and ingenuity. —John Ketchum, Fortune, 24 June 2025

Even at 60 years old, Slick Rick’s ingenuity remains timeless while delivering hard-hitting bars over an array of beats ranging from boom bap to dance. —Michael Saponara, Billboard, 23 June 2025

This shady system favors political connections and authoritarian governments over ingenuity and innovation. —David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 June 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1592, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for ingenuity

• ambiguity
• contiguity
• continuity
• incongruity
• perpetuity
• perspicuity
• promiscuity
• superfluity
• acuity
• annuity
• circuity
• congruity

Kids Definition

ingenuity

noun

in·​ge·​nu·​ity

ˌin-jə-ˈn(y)ü-ət-ē

plural ingenuities

1

: skill or cleverness in discovering, inventing, or planning

2

: an ingenious device