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 of ingenuity

• 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

Fusion is a hard problem, but it can be solved with resolve and ingenuity — characteristics that define MIT. —Phil Helsel, NBC news, 19 Dec. 2025

My visit left me feeling recharged personally but also deeply inspired by the generosity and ingenuity of the Sardinian people, the island’s unique culture and its unparalleled natural beauty. —Anna Grace Lee, Vogue, 18 Dec. 2025

Simon’s cornucopian vision, with all its faith in ingenuity, was fueled by a seemingly endless supply of new people, bringing fresh minds and innovative ideas. —Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025

This provides powerful new evidence of sophisticated human ingenuity preceding this traditional marker of civilizational development. —Maria Mocerino, Interesting Engineering, 13 Dec. 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