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
The invention of corn by Mexicans is only comparable to man’s invention of fire
— Octavio Paz
Corn was born here about 9,000 years ago, when Mesoamerican farmers first started to domesticate the wild grass known as teosinte.
—
Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
American sportswriter Frank Deford perpetuated the apocryphal story of Leo Seltzer’s invention of roller derby.
—Colleen English, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2025
Projected in a darkened gallery and accompanied by evocative music, the video highlights the complexity and beauty of Michelangelo’s invention.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Tharp, setting herself the challenge of Beethoven’s mammoth and adventurous Diabelli Variations, responds with her own ideas about theme and variation, employing her formidable powers of invention and wit.
—Vince Aletti, The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for invention
Kate Linthicum, Los Angeles Times, 13 Mar. 2025
American sportswriter Frank Deford perpetuated the apocryphal story of Leo Seltzer’s invention of roller derby.
—Colleen English, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2025
Projected in a darkened gallery and accompanied by evocative music, the video highlights the complexity and beauty of Michelangelo’s invention.
—Chadd Scott, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025
Tharp, setting herself the challenge of Beethoven’s mammoth and adventurous Diabelli Variations, responds with her own ideas about theme and variation, employing her formidable powers of invention and wit.
—Vince Aletti, The New Yorker, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for invention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invention
Noun
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Are there new innovations to be found in marketing and building a more active booster community?—
Childs Walker,
Baltimore Sun,
28 Mar. 2025
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The risk is that this policy could stifle innovation and creativity, which thrive in diverse environments.—
Doug Melville,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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It is now being reissued in a deluxe edition by prestige publisher Folio Society, with illustrations by Doug Bell, occasioning Miéville to sit for an interview looking back at the book’s impact on his career, the cultural influence of speculative fiction, and what’s next for him and his work.—
Rob Salkowitz,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
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Back then, the fiction that Russia wasn’t an aggressor or party to the conflict, along with insufficient pressure on Moscow in the form of sanctions or the provision of lethal military supplies to Ukraine, ultimately meant Minsk never addressed the root cause of the conflict.—
Clare Sebastian,
CNN,
14 Mar. 2025
Noun
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To gossip well—ethically, and aesthetically, too—a person needs sympathy alongside judgment: not merely information but imagination.—
Alexandra Schwartz,
The New Yorker,
17 Mar. 2025
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Without naming and shaming his many imitators (and inspiring angry social media posts as a result), none approach their craft with the level of imagination and creativity that Carti does.—
Mosi Reeves,
Rolling Stone,
17 Mar. 2025
Noun
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There’s an undeniable surge of creativity and innovation in next-generation media outlets that are squarely targeting Black audiences.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
28 Mar. 2025
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This global reach extends to events, talks, exhibitions, and portfolio reviews, fostering creativity and diversity in image-making.—
PhotoVogue,
Vogue,
28 Mar. 2025
Noun
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From casting backlash and political dustups to a lingering conversation of how to portray the tale's dwarfs in 2025, here's a timeline detailing the Snow White live-action remake's controversies.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
21 Mar. 2025
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The five performers take on an endless stream of characters, but each is assigned a principle character that solidly ground the tale.—
Frank Rizzo,
Variety,
21 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Well, those with a silky fabrication can protect the skin around your eyes from friction, and minimize creasing from pillows and bedsheets.—
Kristine Thomason,
Vogue,
14 Mar. 2025
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But even Oberon didn’t know such fabrications ran generations deep.—
Kendra Nordin Beato,
The Christian Science Monitor,
13 Mar. 2025
Noun
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As an artist and global figure, J. Balvin aims to deconstruct stereotypes about the country by emphasizing peace, empowerment, and progress and showcasing Colombian ingenuity and industriousness.—
Cat Sposato,
AFAR Media,
18 Mar. 2025
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Their collective optimism, ingenuity and persistence are lighting the way for the next generation of industry leaders.—
Stacy Noblet,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
Noun
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In Panem, the setting for The Hunger Games which is a fictional post-apocalyptic version of North America, even Katniss and Peeta view a Capitol-cut version of Haymitch's games 25 years later, with no trace of the rebel plan detailed in this novel.—
Dhanika Pineda,
NPR,
18 Mar. 2025
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Literature too served as touchpoints, from Edith Wharton novels to Gertrude Stein’s 1914 book Tender Buttons.—
Sam Cochran,
Architectural Digest,
18 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Invention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invention. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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