as in devising
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 inventing
Thomas Edison had many misses inventing the lightbulb.
—
Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Created by Terry Nation, the man credited with inventing the Daleks, Blake’s 7 aired for four seasons on the BBC from 1978 to 1981.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 19 Jan. 2026
If your brain immediately starts inventing imaginary future scenarios, that’s often your sign the item has already served its purpose.
—Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2026
Hassabis said the company's issue wasn't inventing tech.
—Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026
Some unnamed Chicago bartender in the early 1880s had the improbable idea of taking a Whiskey Sour and adding a little red wine to the top, inventing in a bizarre flash of insightone of the great warm weather whiskey drinks of our time.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 10 Jan. 2026
For Gen Z, that could mean inventing new career paths, blending skills across disciplines, or building opportunities rather than waiting for traditional ladders to reappear.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
Ironically, to deal with these difficulties, Virginia would have to both check facts and do some inventing of her own.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
From inventing luxury vehicles to being the birthplace of some of the most influential musicians and philosophers in the world, Germany has long been a bastion of distinguished culture.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 24 Jan. 2026
Created by Terry Nation, the man credited with inventing the Daleks, Blake’s 7 aired for four seasons on the BBC from 1978 to 1981.
—Max Goldbart, Deadline, 19 Jan. 2026
If your brain immediately starts inventing imaginary future scenarios, that’s often your sign the item has already served its purpose.
—Alesandra Dubin, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2026
Hassabis said the company's issue wasn't inventing tech.
—Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026
Some unnamed Chicago bartender in the early 1880s had the improbable idea of taking a Whiskey Sour and adding a little red wine to the top, inventing in a bizarre flash of insightone of the great warm weather whiskey drinks of our time.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 10 Jan. 2026
For Gen Z, that could mean inventing new career paths, blending skills across disciplines, or building opportunities rather than waiting for traditional ladders to reappear.
—Preston Fore, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
Ironically, to deal with these difficulties, Virginia would have to both check facts and do some inventing of her own.
—Literary Hub, 7 Jan. 2026
From inventing luxury vehicles to being the birthplace of some of the most influential musicians and philosophers in the world, Germany has long been a bastion of distinguished culture.
—Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inventing
Verb
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The Panthers spent most of Saturday’s game (as well as their previous matchup with the Rams) devising ways to get McMillan and Coker running down the field against those small corners.—
Derrik Klassen,
New York Times,
14 Jan. 2026
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The 40-year-old cooks up ways to make quarterbacks miserable in his sleep, devising schemes that are meant to lure as much as they are intended to confuse.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
10 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Both activities can be fairly ordinary hobbies—games of imagination not so different from crushing on a pop star or concocting stories about a film protagonist.—
Faith Hill,
The Atlantic,
17 Jan. 2026
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Later in the episode, Kody took aim at Janelle, accusing her once again of concocting a plan to try and sell Coyote Pass out from under Meri.—
Abigail Adams,
PEOPLE,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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When researchers abruptly changed the shape or layout of the tank, the previously active neural ensemble quieted down within minutes, while a new configuration of neurons rapidly took over—constructing an entirely new spatial map.—
Matt Emma,
USA Today,
24 Jan. 2026
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The TikTok tradeoff is dynamic scanning, selecting, and constructing in return for patience, credulity, and willingness to follow direction.—
Ryan Craig,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Freescape did not expend all its creativity designing the patented inflatable roof, saving plenty for the flexible lower floor plan.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
24 Jan. 2026
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In addition to his own home décor label, Adler has collaborated with buzzy brands, including designing a house for cultural icon Barbie.—
Sarah Jones,
Footwear News,
23 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inventing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inventing. Accessed 31 Jan. 2026.
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