innovation

noun

in·no·va·tion ˌi-nə-ˈvā-shən

Synonyms of innovation next

: a new idea, method, or device : novelty

: the introduction of something new

innovational

ˌi-nə-ˈvā-sh(ə-)nəl

adjective

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What is the difference between innovation and invention?

The words innovation and invention overlap semantically but are really quite distinct.

Invention can refer to a type of musical composition, a falsehood, a discovery, or any product of the imagination. The sense of invention most likely to be confused with innovation is “a device, contrivance, or process originated after study and experiment,” usually something which has not previously been in existence.

Innovation, for its part, can refer to something new or to a change made to an existing product, idea, or field. One might say that the first telephone was an invention, the first cellular telephone either an invention or an innovation, and the first smartphone an innovation.

Examples of innovation in a Sentence

She is responsible for many innovations in her field. the latest innovation in computer technology Through technology and innovation, they found ways to get better results with less work. the rapid pace of technological innovation

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

For Schneider National, innovation remains a collaborative effort. —

Peter High, Forbes, 14 Jan. 2025 It has been refurbished as a cost-effective innovation as part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services (CLPS) program. —

Andrew Jones, Space.com, 14 Jan. 2025 Every year, tens of thousands of people flock to Las Vegas to see the latest innovations at CES, an enormous consumer technology exhibition. —

Kate Conger, New York Times, 14 Jan. 2025 Its evolution can teach managers how to deal with innovations that depend on multiple slow-developing technologies that come together at different speeds and costs. —

Tucker J. Marion, david Deeds, john H. Friar, Harvard Business Review, 14 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for innovation