Synonym Chooser

How does the noun conception contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of conception are concept, idea, impression, notion, and thought. While all these words mean "what exists in the mind as a representation (as of something comprehended) or as a formulation (as of a plan)," 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

When can concept be used instead of conception?

Although the words concept and conception have much in common, 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

When might idea be a better fit than conception?

The meanings of idea and conception largely overlap; however, 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

When is impression a more appropriate choice than conception?

While the synonyms impression and conception are close in meaning, impression applies to an idea or notion resulting immediately from some stimulation of the senses.

the first impression is of soaring height

Where would notion be a reasonable alternative to conception?

The words notion and conception can be used in similar contexts, but notion suggests an idea not much resolved by analysis or reflection and may suggest the capricious or accidental.

you have the oddest notions

When is it sensible to use thought instead of conception?

The synonyms thought and conception are sometimes interchangeable, but thought is likely to suggest the result of reflecting, reasoning, or meditating rather than of imagining.

commit your thoughts to paper

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of conception Refusing To Drop Dead Ideas Don't be stubbornly committed to an idea that seems fantastic at conception, but problematic over time. Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 19 Sep. 2025 Palud, who directed the whole series and co-wrote episodes, also got involved in every aspect of the conception of the series, from the all-star cast, to the costume, music and set design. Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 18 Sep. 2025 At the heart of his critique was a blood-and-soil conception of the West, one rooted—like Vance’s concept of the American nation itself—not in a devotion to the shared political principles of the Enlightenment but in a civilizational identity and an organic sense of place. Stewart Patrick, Foreign Affairs, 18 Sep. 2025 Your conception of this novel is beautiful in its detail. Jane Ciabattari september 16, Literary Hub, 16 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for conception
Recent Examples of Synonyms for conception
Noun
  • The concept is raising concerns that the bloc is still too slow in improving its deterrence options, however.
    Silvia Amaro, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Engineers from Polytechnique Montréal have unveiled a new parachute concept based on kirigami, the Japanese art of folding and cutting.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • Find step-by-step guidance for launching your first business, from testing your idea to growing your revenue.
    Ryan Ermey, CNBC, 28 Sep. 2025
  • The First Amendment protects that exchange of ideas and no president’s directive, governor’s diktat, or chancellor’s command can override the Constitution.
    Alexandra Koch, FOXNews.com, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The format may have been different, but could the pool of singles go beyond Mile High City’s notoriously lackluster Menver stereotype?
    Tiney Ricciardi, Denver Post, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Most all-inclusive resort food lives up to the stereotype.
    AFAR Media, AFAR Media, 27 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The group said Tennessee's youth ranked 42nd in the country for mental health issues in a study that tracked 15 health criteria from substance abuse to thoughts of suicide.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 28 Sep. 2025
  • From wheat farmers in Washington state to Forest Service workers in Montana to business leaders in Mississippi, average Americans offer their thoughts on where the country is headed.
    September 28, NPR, 28 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • In addition, data showed those who switched to self-employment had previously earned more than peers who were paid employees, contrasting with notions that they were pushed into starting their own business.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 27 Sep. 2025
  • The notion that vaccines cause autism was born out of a fraudulent 1998 study, hypothesizing that the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine caused intestinal inflammation, which, in turn, led to the development of autism.
    Mary Kekatos, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Sometimes, the impression is given that Israel thinks everyone hates them so why care about winning over hearts and minds?
    Jordan King, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Sep. 2025
  • Still, Netflix’s voluminous library seems to leave the impression among viewers like Lerner that such decisions are handed down flippantly.
    Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 30 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The season drew heavy criticism for its glacial pace and incoherent plotting, generating more Reddit theories than actual scares and leaving viewers more haunted by what could have been.
    James Mercadante, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Combining investigative journalism, DNA analysis and cinematic dramatization, the docuseries examines four competing theories about Columbus’ origins and the mystery around the titles bestowed on him by the Catholic Monarchs.
    Emiliano De Pablos, Variety, 1 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Conception.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/conception. Accessed 2 Oct. 2025.

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