1
as in innovation
something (as a device) created for the first time through the use of the imagination
his clever invention made people's lives easier
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2
as in fiction
something that is the product of the imagination
unsurprisingly, the story about being kidnapped by aliens was pure invention
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3
as in imagination
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others
a writer with great invention, she is able to create on the page worlds that don't exist but certainly seem like they could
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4
as in creativity
the skill and imagination to create new things
a person of seemingly endless invention, Thomas Edison held a world-record 1,093 patents
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of invention
The name, Coffman said, was his invention.
—
Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
The founders, who included Altman, Sutskever, Brockman, and Elon Musk, asserted that artificial intelligence could be the most powerful, and potentially dangerous, invention in human history, and that perhaps, given the existential risk, an unusual corporate structure would be required.
—Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Time to grow up and reject belief systems concocted before the invention of clocks and toilet paper.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
With strong leadership and direction, what first appears as setbacks can in fact be a jumping-off point for invention and growth.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for invention
Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
The founders, who included Altman, Sutskever, Brockman, and Elon Musk, asserted that artificial intelligence could be the most powerful, and potentially dangerous, invention in human history, and that perhaps, given the existential risk, an unusual corporate structure would be required.
—Ronan Farrow, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
Time to grow up and reject belief systems concocted before the invention of clocks and toilet paper.
—Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 5 Apr. 2026
With strong leadership and direction, what first appears as setbacks can in fact be a jumping-off point for invention and growth.
—Paul Fitzgerald, Rolling Stone, 3 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for invention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invention
Noun
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McRae was deeply involved in economic development and improvements in education and developed a national reputation for innovation.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
11 Apr. 2026
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If your company values innovation, hire people who challenge ideas and push for creative solutions — not just those who agree with everything.—
Karla Vallecillo,
Hartford Courant,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The Canadian filmmaker Sophy Romvari does something similar with the new movie Blue Heron, a semi-autobiographical piece whose structure loops in on itself, melding fact and fiction into a doleful portrait of a family tragedy.—
Richard Lawson,
HollywoodReporter,
16 Apr. 2026
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Shot on 16mm, the film blends fiction and documentary and tackles themes ranging from labor rights to gender identity.—
Lise Pedersen,
Variety,
16 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Unlike my writing, which is tightly constructed and works to make meaning of experience, my art relies most heavily on imagination.—
Gabe Montesanti,
PEOPLE,
19 Apr. 2026
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Only when the moment is over does the universe expand again, waiting for Johnson’s imagination to explore it.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
18 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Pop-ups are another major pipeline connecting and feeding our creativity.—
Bill Addison,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
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The intuitive Moon is waltzing through your sign, partnering with innovative Uranus in your creativity zone along the way.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
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So does the tale of the tape, which clearly favors New York in its first-round matchup against a pesky Hawks team hoping to pull off an upset.—
Kristian Winfield,
New York Daily News,
17 Apr. 2026
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Dimon delivered a familiar tale that somehow manages to instill calm and panic at the same time.—
Diane Brady,
Fortune,
17 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
There's also a palpable new seam of imaginativeness among residents.—
Toby Skinner,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Nov. 2024
Noun
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But without freedom, Berdyaev writes, creativeness is impossible.—
Andrew McDiarmid,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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During the Thursday earnings call, executives said the company was adding an advanced chip fabrication plant in Tainan, Taiwan, as part of its global capacity expansion efforts.—
Dylan Butts,
CNBC,
16 Apr. 2026
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The protective coating acts as a temporary barrier during fabrication, enabling what the researchers describe as nanoscale surgery.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Invention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invention. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
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