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notion

[noh-shuhn] / ˈnoʊ ʃən /




Usage

What are other ways to say notion? The noun notion suggests a fleeting, vague, or imperfect thought: a bare notion of how to proceed. 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.  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. Conception suggests a thought that seems complete, individual, recent, or somewhat intricate: The architect's conception delighted them.

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.

"This notion of restoring truth and sanity is punitive. It's unnecessary. It's un-American, because great countries do not hide from their history. We learn from it," Spears said.

From Barron's • May 17, 2026

"There's this idea that in order to be a 'good woman', you have to sacrifice yourself for your children or your husband... and the notion that you can have it all is a complete lie."

From BBC • May 16, 2026

Art can have immutable significance to us regardless of what its creators are alleged to have done; thus, the supposed absolution offered by the notion of separating the art from the artist.

From Salon • May 14, 2026

In the comments on Bauer’s post, someone challenged him on the notion that “we already know there won’t be” any negative PR if he is signed.

From Los Angeles Times • May 8, 2026

Before tackling this problem, however, we need to unpack the apparently straightforward notion of practical knowledge.

From "The Invention of Science" by David Wootton




Vocabulary lists containing notion


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