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 centenarian company, renowned for exporting American storytelling, has transformed into a media and experiential giant, capturing and reflecting the country’s traditions and ideals of optimism, ambition, and invention across the eras, and influencing popular culture globally.
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Charlotte Hu, Time, 8 Jan. 2026
Their analyses relied on rigid formulas that ignore the dynamics of companies driven by invention, rapid scaling, and exponential growth.
—Shane Goodwin, Fortune, 8 Jan. 2026
For 175 years, California has been a marvel of invention and reinvention, disaster and recovery, grit and ingenuity.
—Sacramento Bee Staff, Sacbee.com, 8 Jan. 2026
For centuries, people gathering in bars and pubs have found ways to occupy their time, whether that’s classic games like billiards and darts or more recent inventions like video games and mechanical bulls.
—Fritz Hahn, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for invention
Recent Examples of Synonyms for invention
Noun
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Advocate Health and Charlotte leaders are preparing to put entrepreneurs through a free business bootcamp at The Pearl, the city’s new innovation district.—
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The first research and innovation building is projected to cost up to $260 million, and the university had already begun some pre-construction activities, McCuistion said.—
Noun
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Just as Hedayat’s narrator tries to preserve the fleeting presence of the ethereal woman through an image, Golshiri’s protagonist has spent a lifetime writing this unattainable woman into his fiction to keep her alive.—
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In an interview edited for length and clarity, Connelly talked about how he was convinced of Baber’s conclusions, the revelations the investigation reveals, as well as an update on his work in fiction and television.—
Noun
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For their part, many voters always seem to be searching for some idealized candidate who exists only in their imagination.—
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The Visionary Award recognizes an individual who has uniquely and consistently employed the art and science of VFX to foster imagination and ignite future discoveries by way of artistry, invention and groundbreaking work.—
Noun
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This innovative approach not only speeds the design process but also frees up designers to focus on more creative tasks, demonstrating how AI can be used as a tool to augment human creativity rather than replace it.—
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As a member of the Fine Art League of Cupertino, Choudhury volunteers his time and creativity to help people connect and grow through art.—
Noun
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Yet this was the tale of two halves.—
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This is, in part, a cautionary tale.—
Noun
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The board’s decision cited a piece from The New York Times that reported the fabrication rate of some new AI systems was as high as 79%.—
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Zand said chants supporting Pahlavi during recent protests reflect genuine sentiment, not fabrication, though such claims are difficult to independently verify amid internet shutdowns and state censorship.—
Noun
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What’s more, this formal ingenuity never distracts from the emotional intensity of the story but, rather, amplifies its force by simultaneously compressing and expanding the action.—
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Peering beyond the score, even before Montreal throttled Vancouver with a dominant blitz of rush attacking ingenuity in the third period, the raw ability of its skaters and their through-the-roof potential as a group was unmistakable.—
Noun
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The Night Manager season 2 takes the action beyond the pages of le Carré's novel.—
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Henry also boarded the adaptation of her novel Happy Place, published a year before Funny Story in April 2023.—
Cite this Entry
“Invention.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/invention. Accessed 20 Jan. 2026.
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