as in to devise
to create or think of by clever use of the imagination
they invented an explanation for the broken vase that would satisfy their grandmother
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Recent Examples of invent
Zuckerberg invented Facebook in his dorm room and managed to grow it to over three billion users worldwide.
—
Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 7 Mar. 2026
In Connecticut, officials in local governments, state agencies, and the legislature never tire of inventing subtle and blunt methods to undermine your right to see how policies are adopted or strangled, decisions are made or avoided, people promoted or fired, and money spent.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
College football disputes invented that terminology.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Maybe the dress on her seems so effortless that people want to invent a way to complicate it.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for invent
Agustina Vergara Cid, Oc Register, 7 Mar. 2026
In Connecticut, officials in local governments, state agencies, and the legislature never tire of inventing subtle and blunt methods to undermine your right to see how policies are adopted or strangled, decisions are made or avoided, people promoted or fired, and money spent.
—Kevin Rennie, Hartford Courant, 7 Mar. 2026
College football disputes invented that terminology.
—Alex Kirshner, New York Times, 7 Mar. 2026
Maybe the dress on her seems so effortless that people want to invent a way to complicate it.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for invent
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invent
Verb
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Last week, the council voted 9–6 to direct the city manager to study moving its emergency operations, dispatch and service call center out of City Hall while devising funding plans for repairing the aging building, staying there and relocating.—
Devyani Chhetri,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Mar. 2026
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While Green gave him instant advice, Kerr was devising ways to get Porzingis involved.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
8 Mar. 2026
Verb
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As Gyllenhaal begins concocting her third directorial feature, could Curtis be part of the picture?—
Antonio Ferme,
Variety,
6 Mar. 2026
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Gyllenhaal, who also wrote her film, has corrected the imbalance, refashioning the story from the Bride’s perspective and concocting a protagonist of unfiltered feminist fury.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In the closing seconds of the third, Odens Massillon came away with a steal, then fed a pass to Brown for a layup as the Bulldogs constructed a slim 45-41 lead entering the final quarter.—
Brendan Connelly,
Boston Herald,
11 Mar. 2026
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After much discussion, the consensus was to believe in the team as it had been constructed.—
Evan Grant,
Dallas Morning News,
11 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Invent.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invent. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.
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