1
as in innovation
something (as a device) created for the first time through the use of the imagination
his clever invention made people's lives easier
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fiction
something that is the product of the imagination
unsurprisingly, the story about being kidnapped by aliens was pure invention
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3
as in imagination
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others
a writer with great invention, she is able to create on the page worlds that don't exist but certainly seem like they could
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4
as in creativity
the skill and imagination to create new things
a person of seemingly endless invention, Thomas Edison held a world-record 1,093 patents
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of invention
Until 2006, patent holders could presumptively obtain a court injunction that ordered infringers to stop using their invention (akin to a landowner’s legal right to eject trespassers camping on their property).
—
Alden Abbott, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Funding remains a challenge for companies that are looking to scale their inventions or services, and was another major theme to emerge at the expo.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 26 June 2025
Ever since their invention in 1959, plastic bags have become synonymous with shopping.
—Niamh Ordner, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
The invention of railway travel also necessitated the establishment of a unified time zone, which was provided by the Royal Observatory and adopted by the railway companies.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for invention
Alden Abbott, Forbes.com, 27 June 2025
Funding remains a challenge for companies that are looking to scale their inventions or services, and was another major theme to emerge at the expo.
—Samantha Conti, Footwear News, 26 June 2025
Ever since their invention in 1959, plastic bags have become synonymous with shopping.
—Niamh Ordner, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2025
The invention of railway travel also necessitated the establishment of a unified time zone, which was provided by the Royal Observatory and adopted by the railway companies.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 22 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for invention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invention
Noun
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Why accessible robot design is essential for innovation Building a robot from scratch usually means needing fancy equipment like CNC machines or custom electronics.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
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The bet is a next leg of L’Oréal’s increasing ambitions in the beauty-tech space, fueled by efforts to bring forth tech innovations that are accessible and solve solutions for everyday consumers.—
Noor Lobad,
Footwear News,
1 July 2025
Noun
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That was the era The Wednesday Sisters explores, although somehow that was marketed as contemporary fiction.—
Jane Ciabattari
July 1,
Literary Hub,
1 July 2025
-
Sputnik Media is based in Antwerp and works across fiction and non-fiction.—
Stewart Clarke,
Deadline,
1 July 2025
Noun
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Yes, focus still matters—but not at the expense of imagination.—
Brent Gleeson,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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What If Neanderthals Lived with Humans? Unlike humans, who are experts in optimization and always looking for ways to further perfect our efficiency, Neanderthals weren’t capable of the same imagination.—
Sara Novak,
Discover Magazine,
28 June 2025
Noun
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Where this leads, this decoupling of origin from human culture and creativity, is having adverse consequences.—
Shain Shapiro,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
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It was meant to encourage community and creativity, letting users showcase interesting prompts and responses.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
1 July 2025
Noun
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Both Van Poppel and Taylor, who injured his shoulder in a bar fight in 1993 and never reached the major leagues, are cautionary tales on the dangers of taking a high school pitcher in the first round.—
Melissa Lockard,
New York Times,
7 July 2025
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Sula by Toni Morrison Toni Morrison’s suite of stunning historical novels includes Beloved, A Mercy, and this 1973 tale of a friendship between Sula Peace and Nel Wright.—
Mia Barzilay Freund,
Vogue,
7 July 2025
Noun
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The Polish chronicler Ryszard Kapuściński tried to do for the age of decolonization what Malaparte did for the Second World War, though without winning the same indulgence for fabrication.—
Thomas Meaney,
New Yorker,
2 July 2025
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In Arizona, the Taiwan company is developing six semiconductor fabrication plants, Chron reports.—
Alexis Simmerman,
Austin American Statesman,
2 July 2025
Noun
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Such is often the case with culinary tradition, as countless now-iconic dishes began with just a few basic ingredients, a little ingenuity and at least one historical atrocity.—
Bradley Hohulin,
IndyStar,
2 July 2025
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History has shown that when properly mobilized, the United States can retool with astonishing speed and ingenuity.—
Damien Ma,
Foreign Affairs,
1 July 2025
Noun
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That’s how many visits readers made to the web novel and webtoon that inspired the film Omniscient Reader: The Prophecy.—
Joan MacDonald,
Forbes.com,
2 July 2025
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Both the novel and the film were set in the year 2025, with Wright’s iteration now to be released this year.—
Samantha Bergeson,
IndieWire,
1 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Invention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invention. Accessed 16 Jul. 2025.
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