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
As a nod to the city's achievement of the invention of the first commercially-successful typewriter, Thompson plans for guests to be able to enter the building by entering their reservation code into a typewriter.
—
Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Pain is the mother of invention.
—Denise Snodell, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
In a decade that some critics believe has a shortage of newness and invention, slop is one of the few frontiers that’s actively being pushed.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 10 Sep. 2025
Was that new version based more on research or invention?
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for invention
Kelli Arseneau, jsonline.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Pain is the mother of invention.
—Denise Snodell, Kansas City Star, 10 Sep. 2025
In a decade that some critics believe has a shortage of newness and invention, slop is one of the few frontiers that’s actively being pushed.
—Kieran Press-Reynolds, Pitchfork, 10 Sep. 2025
Was that new version based more on research or invention?
—Selome Hailu, Variety, 9 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for invention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invention
Noun
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The Global South's innovation ecosystem shows us that technology can emerge from and serve local needs.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
There are bold new innovations, like a setting spray that’s basically a finishing powder in a bottle, and a three-in-one foundation stick that also hydrates and primes.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Although Harold is not literary fiction’s first obsessive ruminator, what makes Muscle Man feel so plugged into the moment is how common the predicament feels.—
Jeremy Gordon,
The Atlantic,
12 Sep. 2025
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The arrow sequence, though, has a connection to video gaming, recognizably originating in a game called Helldivers 2, a science-fiction narrative similar to Robert Heinlein’s book Starship Troopers that covers fascistic themes.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Governments, investors, and operators must align on a broader, more modern definition of infrastructure—and act together with urgency and imagination.—
Maurice Obeid,
Forbes.com,
17 Sep. 2025
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In an atmosphere of repression and fear, these women discover courage, solidarity, and the power of imagination through the simple transformative act of reading together.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
16 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Kensington Grey kicked off New York Fashion Week in style with its KG Afties NYFW event, spotlighting Black fashion influencers who continue to shape culture and creativity in the industry.—
Corein Carter,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
As the demographics reverse, smaller labor pools are available and more creativity is needed by employers to build a team.—
Amy Lindgren,
Twin Cities,
13 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Arias weaves a lovely tale of unrequited love that isn’t as unrequited in this sapphic, slow-burn romance that also touches on weighty topics, including divorce and grief.—
Mia Sosa,
PEOPLE,
15 Sep. 2025
-
The tell-tale signs continued to add up.—
Maria Morava,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Sheer fabrications have taken off this year, and these scarf-detail tops are an easy way to add interest and color all at once.—
Libby Page,
Vogue,
16 Sep. 2025
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This is reportedly the first quantum computer to be built using the standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) chip fabrication process which is the same transistor technology used in conventional computers.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
15 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Ignoring that lesson endangers economies and ingenuity.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
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The direct capture of second sound shows that even long-standing theoretical predictions in physics may eventually yield to persistence and ingenuity.—
Atharva Gosavi,
Interesting Engineering,
8 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The film, based on a novel by Karina Sainz Borgo, stars Natalia Reyes as a woman forced to grapple with the death of her mother against the backdrop of a crumbling city and a gang that has overtaken her apartment building.—
Chris Gardner,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Sep. 2025
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The controversy may also have inspired Colleen Hoover's upcoming novel, about a writer who retreats after online backlash about a film adaptation.—
Clare Mulroy,
USA Today,
10 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Invention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invention. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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