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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.

Since then, it has mostly been left to nature, although the Big Idea science centre opened on the peninsula about 26 years ago.

From BBC • May 3, 2026

She is the author of the New York Times bestseller “The Manny,” as well the novels “The Idea of Him,” “It Happens in the Hamptons” and “It’s Hot in the Hamptons.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 18, 2026

Idea Jewellery, which does not receive government support but would like to, is in talks with 20 retailers including well-known brands in major cities who are already clients of the long-running family business.

From Barron's • Feb. 18, 2026

The Big Idea at the bottom of it is novel enough, but even though it has real-world precedents, it does inch across the line between clever and goofy.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026

Ifemelu borrowed those words months later, in a blog post written during the final, frenzied lap of the presidential campaign: “Even the Idea of Being Ready Is Ridiculous.”

From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie




Vocabulary lists containing idea


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