notion

noun

no·tion | \ˈnō-shən

Definition of notion

1a(1) : an individual's conception or impression of something known, experienced, or imagined They had different notions of right and wrong.

(2) : an inclusive general concept arriving at the notion of law— Irving Babbitt

(3) : a theory or belief held by a person or group the notion of original sin

b : a personal inclination : whim He had a notion to try skydiving.

2 obsolete : mind, intellect

3 notions plural : small useful items : sundries found the thread she wanted among the shop's notions

Synonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about notion

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Choose the Right Synonym for notion

idea, concept, conception, thought, notion, impression mean what exists in the mind as a representation (as of something comprehended) or as a formulation (as of a plan). idea may apply to a mental image or formulation of something seen or known or imagined, to a pure abstraction, or to something assumed or vaguely sensed. innovative ideas my idea of paradise concept may apply to the idea formed by consideration of instances of a species or genus or, more broadly, to any idea of what a thing ought to be. a society with no concept of private property conception is often interchangeable with concept; it may stress the process of imagining or formulating rather than the result. our changing conception of what constitutes art thought is likely to suggest the result of reflecting, reasoning, or meditating rather than of imagining. commit your thoughts to paper notion suggests an idea not much resolved by analysis or reflection and may suggest the capricious or accidental. you have the oddest notions impression applies to an idea or notion resulting immediately from some stimulation of the senses. the first impression is of soaring height

Examples of notion in a Sentence

He has some pretty strange notions. She had a vague notion about what happened. The study disproves any notion that dolphins are not intelligent. She had a notion to try skydiving. a sewing shop that sells fabrics, books, tools, and notions

Recent Examples on the Web

Davies, who is in the World Golf Hall of Fame, scoffed at the notion a victory on Sunday might help land her in the LPGA Hall of Fame. — Gene Chamberlain, chicagotribune.com, "Laura Davies shoots 66 to take U.S. Senior Women's Open lead at Chicago Golf Club," 14 July 2018 His campaign is premised on the notion that a military background and the image of a political fresh face will resonate strongly enough in the rest of the state to offset Vukmir’s strength in southeast Wisconsin. — Craig Gilbert, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "GOP senate primary in Wisconsin already reflects north-south divide within party," 13 July 2018 Kārlis Kangeris, a former professor and head of the KGB commission, scoffs at the notion that the records were deliberately left incomplete. — Gordon F. Sander, The Christian Science Monitor, "Why a nearly 30-year-old list of names is roiling modern Latvia," 12 July 2018 Scoff at the notion of Bryant on Broadway, but the Oscar affords credibility other athletes can't touch. — Lee Jenkins, SI.com, "Fantastic Voyage: Kobe Bryant Is Now an Entertainment Mogul with a Friendlier Mission," 12 July 2018 And excessive focus on the notion of Trump as a historical aberration is counterproductive to those ends. — Matthew Yglesias, Vox, "Donald Trump, the resistance, and the limits of normcore politics," 3 July 2018 On the astrophysics side, our understanding of galaxy evolution relies on the notion of spacetime in remarkable ways. — Smithsonian, "Andean Solstice Celebrations Capture the Wondrous Churn of Spacetime," 22 June 2018 That's balanced, perhaps inevitably, against a soft underbelly -- built on the notion that playing a kids' game provides a bridge to the friendships enjoyed in youth. — Brian Lowry, CNN, "'Tag' has moments but doesn't leave a mark," 14 June 2018 Several Republicans expressed bewilderment at the notion that this protection could be declared unconstitutional or overturned. — courant.com, "'You've handed us an issue:' Democrats pounce on Trump administration's health care move," 11 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'notion.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.