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
That governance model evolved over time, moving upstream into ideation and pilot phases rather than serving as a final gate.
—
Peter High, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
My afternoon consists of more caption writing and creative ideation.
—R29 Team, Refinery29, 28 Jan. 2026
From early ideation to final polish, AI software now allows solo creators and small teams to attempt projects that once required full crews and large budgets.
—Paul Ratner, Interesting Engineering, 26 Jan. 2026
Still, many of the agentic commerce systems on today’s market require some degree of human intervention and ideation.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ideation
Peter High, Forbes.com, 29 Jan. 2026
My afternoon consists of more caption writing and creative ideation.
—R29 Team, Refinery29, 28 Jan. 2026
From early ideation to final polish, AI software now allows solo creators and small teams to attempt projects that once required full crews and large budgets.
—Paul Ratner, Interesting Engineering, 26 Jan. 2026
Still, many of the agentic commerce systems on today’s market require some degree of human intervention and ideation.
—Meghan Hall, Sourcing Journal, 23 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ideation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ideation
Noun
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Your creativity is also doing something quietly remarkable.—
Kirah Tabourn,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Mar. 2026
-
November 22 – December 21 A single spark of inspiration can unleash a wildfire of creativity.—
Tarot.com,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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But this is not extreme demands by any stretch of the imagination.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
29 Mar. 2026
-
The world of dance has leapt long in fashion’s collective imagination—but the reign of the ballet flat may, finally, be twirling off.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
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There's also a palpable new seam of imaginativeness among residents.—
Toby Skinner,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Ideation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ideation. Accessed 31 Mar. 2026.
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