1
as in inventive
having the skill and imagination to create new things
an ingenious but rather eccentric inventor
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in clever
showing a noteworthy use of the imagination and creativity especially in inventing
a chair that can't tip over is quite ingenious
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 ingenious
André, ever the ingenious creative director, always found a way to make beautiful things happen.
—
Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 13 Dec. 2025
The concert recording, captured on April 26, 1975 — nearly half a year before the album was released — at the Los Angeles Sports Arena by an ingenious bootlegger, sounds about as good as a stereo tape capturing live quadrophonic sound could.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2025
Welles commits himself so deeply to Shakespeare’s most ingenious comic creation that the film has often been seen as a kind of self-portrait, filled in equal measure with delightful ribaldry and heartbreaking pathos.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2025
Beyond rivals the finest Zelda dungeons with its ability to present you with a litany of ingenious puzzles to solve and levels to navigate, micro tasks to complete, and macro goals to accomplish.
—PC Magazine, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ingenious
Fairchild Studio, Footwear News, 13 Dec. 2025
The concert recording, captured on April 26, 1975 — nearly half a year before the album was released — at the Los Angeles Sports Arena by an ingenious bootlegger, sounds about as good as a stereo tape capturing live quadrophonic sound could.
—Kory Grow, Rolling Stone, 11 Dec. 2025
Welles commits himself so deeply to Shakespeare’s most ingenious comic creation that the film has often been seen as a kind of self-portrait, filled in equal measure with delightful ribaldry and heartbreaking pathos.
—Vince Aletti, New Yorker, 5 Dec. 2025
Beyond rivals the finest Zelda dungeons with its ability to present you with a litany of ingenious puzzles to solve and levels to navigate, micro tasks to complete, and macro goals to accomplish.
—PC Magazine, 2 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ingenious
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingenious
Adjective
-
Some lean into local sourcing, others spotlight inventive beverage programs or embrace dietary inclusivity.—
Susan Stapleton,
Des Moines Register,
9 Jan. 2026
-
With an inventive concept inspired by the Dutch series De Verraders and a superbly dressed host, The Traitors is a murder mystery game show par excellence.—
Emily Kelleher,
InStyle,
8 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Each clever accessory is under $15 — that’s less than the cost of a sandwich special at my favorite deli.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
-
With two bedrooms and two baths, the home is surprisingly expansive, boasting just under 2,400 square feet across its clever layout.—
Miriam Schwartz,
Boston Herald,
9 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
His innovative play-calling and offensive schemes emphasizing speed put opposing defenses on their heels.—
Elliott Teaford,
Oc Register,
21 Jan. 2026
-
Companies can shrink or expand the workforce, adopt innovative technologies or reconfigure operations within months.—
Robert Pearl,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Yet these touches are never extreme or imaginative or entertaining enough to match, say, the wild ride that was The Hunting Wives.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
8 Jan. 2026
-
With a new season of The Masked Singer comes a new crop of imaginative costumes for the celebrity vocalists to disguise themselves in.—
Christopher Rudolph,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Behind the Dream, a book chronicling the musical’s 13-year journey to Broadway complemented by behind-the-scenes commentary plus interviews with the creative team and original cast, was released by Keys this past October.—
Gail Mitchell,
Billboard,
15 Jan. 2026
-
What’s growing instead is a sense of collaboration… This signals a new global curiosity about India’s creative energy.—
Sofia Celeste,
Footwear News,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
That said, the Rams are so balanced and talented on offense that their defense just needs to make a turnover or two to keep the opponent down.—
Scott Fowler,
Charlotte Observer,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The two seemed to make an ideal pair, if only because they are both regarded as very talented actors and comedians.—
Martha Ross,
Mercury News,
9 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Ingenious.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingenious. Accessed 22 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
