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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.

Here’s the idea: When you’re still working and adding money, the order of your returns barely matters.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 11, 2026

Olsen: You’ve often mentioned in the past, it’s a phrase I’m very taken with, “stretching culture,” expanding the idea of what’s possible.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

Ahmed: Of course, like this idea of searching for your identity in a world that either commodifies it or punishes it, that’s something I relate to.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

For you, is the premise of the show predicated on the idea that someone like you would never get that part, or is it that, of course you should get that?

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 11, 2026

“For practice,” Trey added, as if that made the idea any more reasonable.

From "Legendary Frybread Drive-In" by Cynthia Leitich Smith




Vocabulary lists containing idea


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