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 the inaugural biennial edition, LagosPhoto 2025 opens a transformative new chapter—building on fifteen years of experimentation while pursuing fresh dialogues around invention, resistance, and freedom.
—
Photovogue, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
According to Bookman, his partner was struggling with substance abuse and was barely able to stay afloat, even with the success of his invention.
—Otto Rabe, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Oct. 2025
Others are relatively modern inventions, like Ghostface and the Babadook, whose haunting visages have put them among the ranks of early Universal Monsters.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
Even the film‘s core concept of The Synchronizer, a baffling psychic invention from the script that not only vexed audiences but forced unionized crew members to debate whether the thing was a light or a prop.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for invention
Photovogue, Vogue, 25 Oct. 2025
According to Bookman, his partner was struggling with substance abuse and was barely able to stay afloat, even with the success of his invention.
—Otto Rabe, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Oct. 2025
Others are relatively modern inventions, like Ghostface and the Babadook, whose haunting visages have put them among the ranks of early Universal Monsters.
—Steven Thrash, Entertainment Weekly, 24 Oct. 2025
Even the film‘s core concept of The Synchronizer, a baffling psychic invention from the script that not only vexed audiences but forced unionized crew members to debate whether the thing was a light or a prop.
—Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 24 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for invention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invention
Noun
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Most colleges have struggled to keep up with the whiplash pace of AI innovation, but the CEO of Malvern College said schools are finally waking up.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
28 Oct. 2025
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Building upon decades of international collaboration and innovation, ESA's lunar ambitions focus on supporting robotic and human missions as part of the global effort to return to the lunar surface in the coming decades.—
Kenna Hughes-Castleberry,
Space.com,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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This, the medical profession maintains, is the stuff of fiction.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
24 Oct. 2025
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These spots are all gone, but now, due in part to the rise of #BookTok, where genre fiction often goes viral, booksellers are once again getting more targeted in their approach.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Leaders who embrace it — by giving agency, reframing emotions and designing for imagination — are closer to breeding resilience and innovation.—
Melissa Jun Rowley,
Rolling Stone,
28 Oct. 2025
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Every scam didn’t need a clever mastermind; in fact, many seemed to somehow spring from a collective imagination.—
Snigdha Poonam,
The Dial,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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At Ironworks Steaks and Fine Cocktails, Chef Joseph Cusmano brings creativity and skill to a traditional steakhouse menu with a few fun surprises to keep diners on their toes.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
25 Oct. 2025
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Simply add your own creativity and can-do spirit.—
Kathy Barnes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Folklorist Thomas Keightley tells the tale of a kobold named Hödeken who was insulted by a kitchen boy who kept spraying water at him.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
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And then at some point, the movie turns into a full-on tale of modern-age sorcery, shifting from its historical roots into an arthouse genre flick replete with fire and demons.—
Jordan Mintzer,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Traditional fabrication methods often fail to maintain nanoscale uniformity in lithium electrode production.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Oct. 2025
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Requiring over 20 hours of fabrication time, this lustrous dial is produced via the application of numerous layers of vitreous enamel and multiple firings in a kiln measuring between 800 degrees and 900 degrees Celsius.—
Oren Hartov,
Robb Report,
25 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Many commenters praised the pair’s ingenuity and willingness to think outside the box.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Oct. 2025
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All these excellent, exacting details coexist well with each other to produce one of Lanthimos’s best films yet, a movie of startling ingenuity that also doubles as a humorous but pointed warning to us all.—
Randy Myers,
Mercury News,
22 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Pennywise — the iconic, malevolent shapeshifting entity that often takes the form of a dancing clown and was first introduced in Stephen King's 1986 novel It — suddenly and mysteriously appeared on five different continents on Tuesday.—
Ryan Coleman,
Entertainment Weekly,
23 Oct. 2025
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Based on the 2019 novel by Colleen Hoover, the PG-13 story follows a mother and daughter (Allison Williams and Mckenna Grace) who grapple with the aftermath of a devastating accident.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
22 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Invention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invention. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025.
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