1
as in creativity
the ability to form mental images of things that either are not physically present or have never been conceived or created by others
the artist's fertile inventiveness allows her to put on canvas landscapes that have never been trod by mortal feet
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in creativeness
the skill and imagination to create new things
the contention that, in order to prosper, cities must attract young, well-educated people of great inventiveness in both the arts and high technology
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Recent Examples of inventiveness
More of this kind of playful inventiveness, please.
—
Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Its combination of inventiveness and mundanity reminds him of the early films of the Lumière brothers, who paved the way for modern cinema with their invention of the cinematograph.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
There’s still room for inventiveness, for risk-taking.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026
For all the inventiveness of the violence, the show isn’t particularly engaging.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
While the Finns work with them, officers point out that necessity has been the mother of Ukraine’s inventiveness in drones, making up for the country’s relative lack of mass infantry and heavy weaponry — just as Finns did with Molotov cocktails in the Winter War.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
Your sign’s characteristic inventiveness thrives here, so you might be inspired to start DIY projects or rearrange your cupboards.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 23 Feb. 2026
That inventiveness led to some spectacular goals, but also inherent risk-taking.
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Also predictably, Russian media are praising the remarkable inventiveness of their forces, while ignoring the disastrous results.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2026
Its combination of inventiveness and mundanity reminds him of the early films of the Lumière brothers, who paved the way for modern cinema with their invention of the cinematograph.
—Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 13 Apr. 2026
There’s still room for inventiveness, for risk-taking.
—Elsa Keslassy, Variety, 31 Mar. 2026
For all the inventiveness of the violence, the show isn’t particularly engaging.
—Eric Vilas-Boas, Vulture, 18 Mar. 2026
While the Finns work with them, officers point out that necessity has been the mother of Ukraine’s inventiveness in drones, making up for the country’s relative lack of mass infantry and heavy weaponry — just as Finns did with Molotov cocktails in the Winter War.
—Liam Denning, Bloomberg, 12 Mar. 2026
Your sign’s characteristic inventiveness thrives here, so you might be inspired to start DIY projects or rearrange your cupboards.
—Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 23 Feb. 2026
That inventiveness led to some spectacular goals, but also inherent risk-taking.
—Vincent Z. Mercogliano, New York Times, 4 Feb. 2026
Also predictably, Russian media are praising the remarkable inventiveness of their forces, while ignoring the disastrous results.
—David Hambling, Forbes.com, 7 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inventiveness
Noun
-
The Kings have prioritized defense for most of the past two decades, often playing a sticky, trapping style that doesn’t promote offensive creativity or attack.—
Greg Beacham,
Los Angeles Times,
2 May 2026
-
No experience needed—just bring your creativity.—
Kris Slugg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
But without freedom, Berdyaev writes, creativeness is impossible.—
Andrew McDiarmid,
Chicago Tribune,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Though Baudelaire was influenced by Poe’s macabre imagination, decadence never developed its own school in nineteenth-century America, then still a young country.—
Olivia Kan-Sperling,
Artforum,
2 May 2026
-
Container gardens are easy to create and endlessly rewarding, so let your imagination go wild!—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
2 May 2026
Noun
-
Leave it to a Black woman to see a need not just in her family but throughout the culture and thoughtfully fill said need with limited resources but an abundance of ingenuity.—
Essence,
Essence,
6 May 2026
-
Brannan’s scheme to drum up business became a useful tale of American ingenuity.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
There's also a palpable new seam of imaginativeness among residents.—
Toby Skinner,
Condé Nast Traveler,
15 Nov. 2024
Noun
-
Walter was an accomplished singer and Marian played the piano, but Crenshaw evidently did not inherit a talent for music.—
Kelefa Sanneh,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
Even as a young writer, her talent for digging up interesting stats, along with her contagious positivity and love for the game, set her apart in a crowded media landscape.—
Maddie Lee,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inventiveness.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inventiveness. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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