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idea

[ahy-dee-uh, ahy-deeuh] / aɪˈdi ə, aɪˈdiə /


Usage

What are other ways to say idea? The noun idea, although it may refer to thoughts of any degree of seriousness or triviality, is commonly used for mental concepts considered more important or elaborate: We pondered the idea of the fourth dimension. The idea of his arrival frightened me. Thought, which reflects its primary emphasis on the mental process, may denote any concept except the more weighty and elaborate ones: I welcomed his thoughts on the subject. A thought came to him. Conception suggests a thought that seems complete, individual, recent, or somewhat intricate: The architect's conception delighted them. Notion suggests a fleeting, vague, or imperfect thought: a bare notion of how to proceed.

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

It isn’t about cost savings, says Chief Executive John Banner, but a hiring philosophy based on the idea that employees should be doing work that requires creativity and judgment.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 22, 2026

When there’s a major storm in the forecast, it’s a good idea to keep your vehicle charged, or the gas tank full.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 22, 2026

"And I trust that once the consequences of this situation are laid bare, this may not have seemed like as good an idea."

From BBC Sep. 22, 2026

It didn’t seem right that he should have to carry the weight of what more-cynical people did with his idea.

From Slate Sep. 22, 2026

I would happily get my diploma if he would give up the idea of my getting married.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

“The university is not engaged in making ideas safe for students,” University of California President Clark Kerr famously said in 1961.

From Los Angeles Times Sep. 22, 2026

"Precision experiments are now reaching a level of sensitivity where they can test ideas that, until recently, belonged almost exclusively to the realm of theoretical speculation," says Curceanu.

From Science Daily Sep. 21, 2026

Although the Oscar-winning director reportedly planned to present revised ideas to his neighbors, the elaborate project ultimately never came to fruition.

From MarketWatch Sep. 21, 2026

Here, we hold fast to our belief that a core curriculum is the foundation for a college education that supports a life enriched by a love of learning and ideas.

From The Wall Street Journal Sep. 20, 2026

His mind kept trying to turn the vague squiggles back into words and words into ideas.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix




Vocabulary lists containing idea


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