as in creativity
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others
caregivers are trained to watch for signs of depression and suicidal ideation—some patients are likely to put their fantasies to action
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Recent Examples of ideation
The research grant recipients are in the ideation period, which includes identifying secondary sources, following storylines, and building foundational relationships.
—
Addie Morfoot, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
Writings in notebooks and on the guns indicate a series of grievances, anger and ideations of harm to self and to others.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2025
In 2018, a survey found that 55 percent of wildland firefighters have exhibited suicidal behavior or ideation, compared to 33 percent of non-wildland firefighters, but consistent and reliable data regarding the mental health of wildland firefighters simply does not exist.
—River Selby
august 25, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2025
The differing management methods come as numerous corporations have pointed to in-office work as driving collaboration, ideation, and, in some cases, revenue, while numerous studies point to RTO policies hurting employee morale and risking employee retention.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ideation
Addie Morfoot, Variety, 29 Aug. 2025
Writings in notebooks and on the guns indicate a series of grievances, anger and ideations of harm to self and to others.
—Meredith Deliso, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2025
In 2018, a survey found that 55 percent of wildland firefighters have exhibited suicidal behavior or ideation, compared to 33 percent of non-wildland firefighters, but consistent and reliable data regarding the mental health of wildland firefighters simply does not exist.
—River Selby
august 25, Literary Hub, 25 Aug. 2025
The differing management methods come as numerous corporations have pointed to in-office work as driving collaboration, ideation, and, in some cases, revenue, while numerous studies point to RTO policies hurting employee morale and risking employee retention.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 8 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ideation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ideation
Noun
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Kensington Grey kicked off New York Fashion Week in style with its KG Afties NYFW event, spotlighting Black fashion influencers who continue to shape culture and creativity in the industry.—
Corein Carter,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
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As the demographics reverse, smaller labor pools are available and more creativity is needed by employers to build a team.—
Amy Lindgren,
Twin Cities,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Governments, investors, and operators must align on a broader, more modern definition of infrastructure—and act together with urgency and imagination.—
Maurice Obeid,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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In an atmosphere of repression and fear, these women discover courage, solidarity, and the power of imagination through the simple transformative act of reading together.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
16 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Ideation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideation. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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