ingenuity

noun

in·​ge·​nu·​i·​ty ˌin-jə-ˈnü-ə-tē 

-ˈnyü-

plural ingenuities

1

a

: skill or cleverness in devising or combining : inventiveness

b

: cleverness or aptness of design or contrivance

2

: an ingenious device or contrivance

3

obsolete : candor, ingenuousness

Synonyms

• creativity
• creativeness
• imagination
• talent
• innovativeness
• inventiveness
• imaginativeness

Examples of ingenuity in a Sentence

She showed amazing ingenuity in finding ways to cut costs.

It will take considerable ingenuity to fix these problems.

Recent Examples on the Web

Ignoring that lesson endangers economies and ingenuity. —Ken Silverstein, Forbes.com, 11 Sep. 2025

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

With a scarf, ingenuity, and gumption, Breinberg had scored higher than the people who’d used fire, dry needling, hammocks, and cups. —Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 8 Sep. 2025

With the newer Portico model, Couët managed to conceal the whole mechanism in the dial in a true feat of horological ingenuity. —Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 5 Sep. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1592, in the meaning defined at sense 3

Rhymes for ingenuity

• ambiguity
• contiguity
• continuity
• incongruity
• perpetuity
• perspicuity
• promiscuity
• superfluity
• acuity
• annuity
• circuity
• congruity

Kids Definition

ingenuity

noun

in·​ge·​nu·​ity

ˌin-jə-ˈn(y)ü-ət-ē

plural ingenuities

1

: skill or cleverness in discovering, inventing, or planning

2

: an ingenious device