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as in novelties
notions plural small useful items the fabric store had a wide variety of thread, pins, buttons, and other notions

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in concept
an idea or statement about all of the members of a group or all the instances of a situation the popular notion that college athletes are airheads

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun notion contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of notion are conception, concept, idea, impression, and thought. While all these words mean "what exists in the mind as a representation (as of something comprehended) or as a formulation (as of a plan)," notion suggests an idea not much resolved by analysis or reflection and may suggest the capricious or accidental.

you have the oddest notions

When is concept a more appropriate choice than notion?

The words concept and notion can be used in similar contexts, but concept may apply to the idea formed by consideration of instances of a species or genus or, more broadly, to any idea of what a thing ought to be.

a society with no concept of private property

How do conception and concept relate to one another, in the sense of notion?

Conception is often interchangeable with concept; it may stress the process of imagining or formulating rather than the result.

our changing conception of what constitutes art

When might idea be a better fit than notion?

While in some cases nearly identical to notion, idea may apply to a mental image or formulation of something seen or known or imagined, to a pure abstraction, or to something assumed or vaguely sensed.

innovative ideas
my idea of paradise

Where would impression be a reasonable alternative to notion?

The words impression and notion are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, impression applies to an idea or notion resulting immediately from some stimulation of the senses.

the first impression is of soaring height

When can thought be used instead of notion?

In some situations, the words thought and notion are roughly equivalent. However, thought is likely to suggest the result of reflecting, reasoning, or meditating rather than of imagining.

commit your thoughts to paper

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of notion In the wake of Operation Midnight Hammer, the notion that Trump’s support within the Republican Party is contingent on the support of a loud but narrow ... Noah Rothman, National Review, 10 July 2025 Yaa Boakye, a dietitian based in Illinois, echoed the notion of the healing powers of fruits and vegetables. Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 10 July 2025 Of late, in a rare instance of going further than the right-wing Project 2025 itself, Trump has been testing out the notion of kicking U.S. citizens, naturalized and born here, out of the country too. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 7 July 2025 The 10-round cruiserweight affair ended in Paul’s sixth consecutive victory but did little to quell the notion that the YouTuber-turned-boxer is building his in-ring reputation with a fraudulent resume built on defeating big names many years removed from their heydays. Mark Puleo, New York Times, 28 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for notion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for notion
Noun
  • Only 24% of voters today recognize that their future benefits are subject to the whims of Congress and the president.
    Scott Rasmussen, Boston Herald, 6 July 2025
  • Adapting to the whims of a star is no small task, however.
    Phil Plait, Scientific American, 3 July 2025
Noun
  • Some examples might include: Faith – Avoiding investments in companies that conflict with your beliefs.
    James Brewer, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • IndieWire noted that Offerman's prior roles include conservative and right-wing types, a contrast to his personal progressive beliefs.
    Victoria Edel, People.com, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • The most transformative ideas often come from the edges—from employees closest to the customer, to the problem, to the reality.
    Alex Goryachev, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • Wondering why watering in the middle of the day isn't a good idea?
    Lauren David, Southern Living, 10 July 2025
Noun
  • For his new concept revitalizing the former Nash & Proper space, Jimenez is taking inspiration from popular fast food chains such as In-N-Out and Raising Cane’s Chicken Fingers, which have compact menus with high-quality ingredients.
    Sacbee.com, Sacbee.com, 14 July 2025
  • The new concept comes six months after the owner of Explorium Brewing purchased Good City Brewing's four locations and its brands.
    Jordyn Noennig, jsonline.com, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • With federal routes closing, pharmaceutical companies focused on shaping public opinion and state-level regulations.
    Sindhya Valloppillil, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
  • In today’s opinions newsletter: Behind the scenes with our opinions team.
    Joanna Allhands, AZCentral.com, 8 July 2025
Noun
  • Wang — who was born in Shanghai and grew up in the small town of Northfield, Minn., before moving on to college at New York University — is still humbled by the thought of how many people auditioned for the role.
    Tim Lammers, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025
  • To no surprise, viewers swarmed the TikTok video's comment section with their thoughts.
    Skyler Caruso, People.com, 15 July 2025
Noun
  • The musical uses all the key plot points while editing out a handful of outdated stereotypes.
    Jed Gottlieb, Boston Herald, 13 July 2025
  • Don't rely on impressions based on old stereotypes.
    Scott White, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Moreover, Kremlin insiders suspect that the 50-day window before any new US sanctions hit is plenty of time for their military push in Ukraine to pay off – or, failing that, for a notoriously changeable President Trump to change his mind on Russia once again.
    Matthew Chance, CNN Money, 15 July 2025
  • First, keep in mind that AGI and ASI will have been data trained by the vast stores of human writing.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 15 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Notion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/notion. Accessed 20 Jul. 2025.

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