ingenuity

noun

ˌin-jə-ˈnü-ə-tē How to pronounce ingenuity (audio)
Definition of ingenuitynext
as in creativity
the skill and imagination to create new things the mystery writer's exceptional ingenuity enabled her to devise plots that always had readers guessing to the very end

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 ingenuity Under the ingenuity of then-Saints head coach Sean Payton, Hill became a Swiss Army knife, taking snaps at a litany of positions over his nine seasons. — Devon Henderson, New York Times, 30 July 2026 But whether nestled in lush forests or barren deserts, these towns bear the scars of time, showcasing human ingenuity while reminding us of the inevitability of decay. — Kieron Marchese, Architectural Digest, 27 July 2026 Ridley Scott One of the best late-career films from an all-time master, this sci-fi gem sees Matt Damon playing an astronaut who gets stranded on Mars and has to use his ingenuity to get home. — Brian Tallerico, Vulture, 17 July 2026 All of which is to say that the Odyssey, in depriving Nolan of opportunities for his ingenuity as a screenwriter, has also pushed him toward greater filmmaking risks. — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 17 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for ingenuity
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ingenuity
  1. creativity
  2. creativeness
  3. imagination
  4. talent
  5. inventiveness
  6. imaginativeness
Noun
  • Both songs, like much of Ono’s musical and visual work, underline and encourage community, humanity, and creativity in everyone while simultaneously excoriating a pervasive malevolence.
    — Katherine Turman, Rolling Stone, 9 Aug. 2026
  • High school seniors are embracing nostalgic backpacks as a way to reflect on their childhood and express creativity.
    — Melissa Willets, Parents, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of creativity
Noun
  • But without freedom, Berdyaev writes, creativeness is impossible.
    — Andrew McDiarmid, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
Definition of creativeness
Noun
  • And with a resume of iconic roles that have encouraged creativity, imagination and bravery, Andrews says exploring her own voice through literature has been rewarding.
    — Lexy Perez, HollywoodReporter, 11 Aug. 2026
  • What's captured many people's imagination, though, is how the whole thing unfolded.
    — Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of imagination
Noun
  • These days it is seldom seen, with scouting resource and social media so prevalent, for the majority to be so unaware of the next young talent.
    — Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Brands from Louis Vuitton to Dior to Chanel boast a strong roster of K-pop brand ambassadors, and each fashion month, local talent comes out in force.
    — Madeleine Schulz, Vogue, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of talent
Noun
  • Moonshot is reported to have stitched together capacity from multiple cloud providers while developing Kimi K3, highlighting the inventiveness of Chinese tech in overcoming Washington’s chip export controls.
    — Mohammed Sergie, semafor.com, 29 July 2026
  • Thousands of new satellites have entered the domain, especially in low Earth orbit (LEO), thanks to significant drops in launch costs brought about by reusable rockets and private sector inventiveness.
    — Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
Definition of inventiveness
Noun
  • There's also a palpable new seam of imaginativeness among residents.
    — Toby Skinner, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Nov. 2024
Definition of imaginativeness

Browse Nearby Words

ingenues
ingenuity
ingenuous
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Cite this Entry

“Ingenuity.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ingenuity. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on ingenuity

Nglish: Translation of ingenuity for Spanish Speakers

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